BRITS have basked in the last of the heatwave as the country gets set for plunging temperatures and early frosts.

Coningsby in Lincolnshire saw the best of the warm weather today with temperatures reaching a balmy 24.5C.

Most of the east of England saw similar conditions, with a last hurrah of 23-24C.

A cold front is set to move southward across the UK overnight bringing frosty conditions.

Southern England will see a cold and cloudy start to Friday, although sunshine is expected to break through by mid-morning.

While most of the country will see sunny and dry conditions, the far north of Scotland will see a wet and windy day with a mix of sunshine and showers.

Friday temperatures will be around 10C cooler than today, with highs of around 15-16C across the country – although this will be closer to the seasonal average for this time of year.

Met Office meteorologist Sarah Kent said: “With shorter days and longer nights now, clearer skies will see an increased risk of patchy frost and fog.

“However, despite the chilly starts, it won’t be too bad in the daytime with the sunshine and light winds taking the edge of the cold.

“There will be some changeable interludes, with some bands of raid in the north and east of the UK, but mostly at night.

“The south west of the country will have the best of the drier conditions.”

The Met Office has officially declared summer 2018 as the joint hottest on record, alongside the summers of 2006, 2003 and 1976.

The heatwave saw soaring temperatures across much of the UK throughout June and July, with the dry, sweltering conditions giving way to a more average August.

The hottest day of 2018 so far was Thursday, July 26, when temperatures reached 35.3C in Faversham, Kent.

However, it fell short of topping the UK's highest-ever recorded temperature of 38.5C, also in Faversham, in August 2003.