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Londoners are set to bask in temperatures hotter than the Costa del Sol this weekend as bright sunshine hits the capital.

The mercury could hit highs of 23C across London on Sunday – 10C higher than average for early April, the Met Office said.

Friday and Saturday will see sun worshippers enjoy balmy temperatures of between 17C and 19C.

Sunday will bring scorching highs of 23C in the south-east – hotter than Marbella in the Costa del Sol, Spain, where temperatures will peak at 20C.

Londoners bask in weekend sunshine - April 2 2017 7 show all Londoners bask in weekend sunshine - April 2 2017 1/7 Sun lovers relax PA 2/7 A topless man reads a book on Hampstead Heath PA 3/7 Londoners bask in the sunshine PA 4/7 A couple enjoy the warm temperatures PA 5/7 A couple fly a kite in the sunshine on Hampstead Heath PA 6/7 A woman picks daisy's in the sunshine PA 7/7 People sunbathe on Hampstead Heath PA 1/7 Sun lovers relax PA 2/7 A topless man reads a book on Hampstead Heath PA 3/7 Londoners bask in the sunshine PA 4/7 A couple enjoy the warm temperatures PA 5/7 A couple fly a kite in the sunshine on Hampstead Heath PA 6/7 A woman picks daisy's in the sunshine PA 7/7 People sunbathe on Hampstead Heath PA

The city will enjoy weather as hot as Cape Town in South Africa.

Nick Maxey, spokeswoman for the Met Office, said: “It will certainly be hotter than the average temperature as we enter April which stands at 12.9C in London.

Read more Londoners bask in the sunshine in temperatures hotter than Istanbul

“We are hoping for some prolonged sunshine but there will be cloudy patches.”

The highest temperature recorded in the capital in April was measured at 29.4C in Camden Town on April 16 1949.