While flooding caused chaos in northern England, the capital enjoyed top temperatures of 15.7C.

The previous highest record of 15.6C was recorded in 1922 at Kensington Palace.

Parts of Cumbria are under water

The record-breaking temperature was recorded at the London Weather Centre in Holborn.

But 270 miles further north, Kendal in Cumbria was almost cut off as torrential overnight rain forced police to shut nine main roads.

Four inches of rain fell in 24 hours at nearby Kirkby Stephen and hundreds of brooks and streams in the area burst their banks.

Bleak winter weather

More than 50 homes in Kendal were flooded and fire crews used a boat to rescue seven people from a day care centre for the disabled.

The Environment Agency issued red flood alerts on two rivers elsewhere in the county, the River Cocker in Cockermouth and River Eden in Carlisle.

And experts warn that bleak winter weather could soon be in store for the whole of the country.

Experts warn that winter weather is on the way

A meteorologist said: "The good weather in the south won't last long - temperatures will be tumbling by the weekend as quite a cold snap sets in across the country.

"The south west wind from the Continent that's been warming us up is going to be replaced by a band of low pressure from the Atlantic and then a much colder northerly wind."