Families cool off with a trip to Seaburn beach as temperatures continue to rise

But as the sun shone down on Seaburn beach, families and friends in their droves headed to Sunderland’s coastline to enjoy the glorious summer sun.

This summer has seen one of the longest heatwaves in recent times and people are ensuring they are taking full advantage of it.

Youngsters were splashing in the sea, people sunbathed and families and friends enjoyed a good old-fashioned day out at the beach.

For eight-year-old Izzy Kisby and her sister Poppy, four, the summer weather is a welcome addition to their visit to Sunderland.

The youngsters live in Cambridge and are up staying with grandmother Christine for a week.

Mrs Kisby, from Ford Estate, said: “I think the weather is absolutely fabulous. It has been exceptional this year. If it was like this more often, people wouldn’t need to go abroad.

“It’s been brilliant for the children. We have been out to different places and will be going to Beamish and hoping to come down to the airshow.

“With the weather being the way it has been, it has made planning things a lot more easier.”

Temperatures, according to the Met Office in Sunderland, hovered around 22 degrees, while elsewhere in the UK temperatures were reaching 34 degrees.

Margaret Fulcher, from Castletown, headed down to Seaburn to relax on the beach, equipped with suncream to protect her from the rays.

The 76-year-old said: “This is the first time since my daughter’s sons were little I have been down here and able to enjoy the sun and the weather, and they are in their 20s now.

“It’s beautiful.”