PHEW, that was a scorching weekend.

The mercury was pushing 30 degrees Celsius in Dorset over the weekend, and the good news is the hot, sunny weather is expected to endure, more or less, throughout the week.

Today, temperatures around 26 degrees are expected, with bright sunshine throughout so don't forget your sunblock if you venture out.

And tomorrow could see the mercury rise to 33C according to local weather enthusiasts @DorsetSnow:

A word of warning, the pollen count will be very high, with moderate air pollution, a state of affairs that will continue for the next few days.

Humidity is also likely to be high over this period, with little wind to clear the air.

The Met Office is also warning of high UV levels this week.

On Wednesday expect the sunshine to continue, with cloudier conditions arriving on Thursday and the temperature dropping by a few degrees.

Friday is set to be overcast and could see some rain, but from Saturday, over the ensuing few days, there should be plenty of sunshine with a pleasant temperature of around 19 degrees.