Get set to sizzle this weekend

Tourism bossses across the region were predicting plenty of visitors drawn outdoors by the warm weather.

People have flocked to Weston Park, near Wolverhampton, all week with the amount of cars heading to the stately home causing long queues on the approach.

Gemma Cotterill, from Weston, said large crowds were expected for this weekend's three-day eventing horse trials, which started today. She said: "The weather definitely has helped. It has really been buzzing. It definitely helps bring in a few more people."

Staff at Shugborough Hall, near Stafford, are also celebrating a bumper start to the season.

Glorious Easter weather helped attract more than 5,000 people to the stately home - a 13 per cent increase on last year.

Bosses said visitor numbers were on the rise and the attraction's season tickets were "selling like hot cakes".

Medieval soldiers will be donning historic dress tomorrow at a Stourbridge museum ahead of St George's Day next weekend. The event is at Red House Glass Cone, in Wordsley, and museum manager John Billingham said the weather would aid the show.

"This site lends itself to having outdoor activities with the canal, the courtyard and the seating area," said Mr Billingham.

Express & Star weatherman John Warner predicted a largely sunny weekend and said such warm weather in April was rare.

He said: "April is a strange month. It can vary from being a winter month to a summer month. We have had a few white Easters before."

The warm spell, which has lasted for over a week, is due to high pressure close to Britain.