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May was the sunniest calendar month on record, and spring was the sunniest spring, the Met Office has said.

The UK enjoyed 266 hours of sunshine in May – surpassing the previous record of 265 hours in June 1957.

And it is even more extraordinary following a drenching winter, with record rain in February.

Meteorologists say they are amazed at the sudden switch from extreme wet to extreme dry – it is not “British” weather.

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On average the UK gets 436 hours of sunshine between March and the end of May.

Since 1929, only 10 years have had more…