SUNSEEKERS are expected to flock to Southend’s beaches this weekend as the county experiences better weather than Spain.

Essex is set to be hotter than Ibiza, Barcelona, Marbella and other favourite getaway spots when the mercury hits 22C on Sunday.

As a result, seafront business owners are bracing themselves for the first busy weekend of the year.

Paul Thompson, chairman of Southend Seafront Traders Association, said: “It’s fantastic news.

“I think everyone will be getting ready for a busy weekend.

“I imagine lots of people will get in their cars and come out from London down to Southend.

“Everyone has been in winter mode for quite a few months and when you get the nice hot weather people come out to enjoy themselves.

“If it’s hot, ice cream sales will be good. The council benefits as well because all their car parks will be full.

“Everyone benefits when the sun is out.”

Thanks to a south easterly wind, temperatures will be about seven degrees above the average for this time of year.

They could be as high as 21C on Saturday, rising to 22C the next day.

Martin Richardson, owner of the Happidrome Arcade, in Marine Parade, said the heatwave will be a welcome relief from the dreary weather of the last few weeks.

He said: “We are ready, we are locked and loaded. We are equipped. I’m looking forward to a very busy weekend.

“It’s what we need.

“We have got a fantastic seafront down here and the three things you need on Southend seafront are firstly the sun to get people out, then you need the car parking spaces.

“The third thing you need is that it helps when you have got a tide in.”

Mr Richardson said warm weather provided a much-needed boost to seafront businesses.

He added: “The last busy weekend was Easter and that’s traditionally the start of the season.

“From then onwards anything we can get is a bonus.”

Tom Defty, from the Essex Weather Centre, said Basildon will experience the warmest temperatures in south Essex due to the lack of sea breeze.

He said: "We’ve got high pressure over the weekend and next week too.

“There will also be a south easterly wind this weekend so it will feel a little cooler in Southend. It will be slightly warmer in land, in places like Basildon.”

“Thunderstorms will develop over the weekend, but Southend should escape them because of the south easterly wind direction. They will develop over land."

He added that those with hayfever should be cautious, as pollen levels are due to soar.

Mr Defty added: “One downside will be the level of pollen that will rocket from low to high because of the change in temperature.

“The other thing to remember is that the sun is strong with high UV levels so people can burn with being outside for just 30 minutes, particularly this weekend because people will be heading to the coast. They need to use protection. People have been wearing hats and scarfs over the last few weeks and they forget how strong the sun is.”

“The outlook for the next seven to 20 days is warm, dry and settled with temperatures of what we should be getting for this time of year.

“It’s quite a turnaround from such low temperatures to what we will see.”