CHEERING crowds will be greeted by glorious sunshine and Mediterranean blue skies when the Olympic Torch passes through Worcester.

The sunny weather is likely to continue for the rest of the week and into the weekend as summer finally arrives, according to Worcester News weatherman Paul Damari.

After the wettest April on record and the coldest May on record in some parts of the country, it looks like the changeable British weather is hotting up in perfect time for the Olympic torch relay as it makes its way from Droitwich, through Fernhill Heath and into Worcester on its way to Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Thursday evening.

Mr Damari said: “Now mother nature is changing, as she often does. We are going from cold weather to very warm weather.

“This week and the weekend are going to be fine with plentiful sunshine and fairly light winds to begin with. This is ideal for the progression of the Olympic Torch.

“There will be no rain at all. There will be sunny, blue Mediterranean skies.”

Temperatures are likely to peak at between 25C and 27C (77-81F) tomorrow or Thursday, coinciding perfectly with the arrival of the Olympic Torch.

Mr Damari of Barbourne, Worcester, said he hoped to take a camera out with him and capture the historic moment for himself.

An easterly wind is likely to pick up pace on Friday and into Saturday but even this will be warm, meaning ideal conditions when the torch resumes its journey to Malvern on Friday.

Night temperatures are expected to be between 10C and 13C (50-55F) over this week and Mr Damari said his message to gardeners was that it was now okay to start putting in their bedding plants. Mr Damari said there was every chance the good weather could linger for the jubilee weekend.

However, Mr Damari said there was the chance of some thundery downpours in June interspersed with warm and humid spells and some sunshine.