A mere nine days ago Cheshire West was warned to batten down the hatches against unseasonable snow forecasts, but Chester is officially hotter than Mediterranean party island Ibiza today (May 8).

In a real reversal of fortunes, today's top temperature in the city will reach 24°C whereas mercury will only reach a high of 19°C in Ibiza, according to the Met Office.

And Chester is giving other European cities like Barcelona, Athens and Rome a run for their money too.

The long-awaited heatwave is thanks to a south-easterly wind.

High temperatures will stick around for a few days before taking a nose-dive towards the end of the week with highs of 12°C predicted for Friday (May 13) and 11°C on Saturday (May 14).

So why not pop out for an ice cream or indulge in some al fresco dining to make the most of the beautiful weather while it lasts?