SPIRITS were high in the Cotswolds earlier this week as the district experienced its hottest day in 10 years.

Temperatures soared to 33.1 degrees C in Cirencester and surrounding areas on Wednesday this week.

All over the UK people were calling it the hottest day of the year, and in Cirencester it has been confirmed that it was the hottest day the town has seen in a decade.

Locals took advantage of the weather, and were spied sunbathing, eating ice cream and swimming in outdoor pools and lakes.

Steve Ball, who runs Glos Weather in Cirencester, said Wednesday was the hottest day he had ever recorded in all his time working as a local weatherman.

"We reached 33.1 degrees C," he said. "It was warmer than Greece and Morocco too."

And Steve also predicts a thunderstorm for tonight (Friday) after another warm day to start off the weekend.

Other residents recorded even higher temperatures on the day, with Kevin While reporting a reading of 35.5 degrees from his car.

See glosweather.com for more weather updates.