Have we had our summer to soon?

Sun worshippers across East Devon are hopeful the recent spell of hot weather will continue into the summer and not fizzle out.

Temperatures were scorching over the Easter Bank Holiday, making up for a particularly harsh winter. Outlets in coastal towns reported record trade - a welcome boost in the wake of the recession.

East Devon residents are looking on the bright side and are crossing everything that the sun keeps shining, although they would welcome the odd drop of rain for the garden.

Sandra Duff, 65, of Honiton, said: “I think we have had our summer.

“June and July will be wet and windy.

“We should enjoy it while we can.

“Then again, we had a hard winter so we could have a good summer.”

Her friend, Sheila Harrison, 58, of Honiton, said: “Yes, I think we have had our summer, but we will have to wait and see.”

Ann Bowden, 28, said: “I hope the weather will be nice this summer. You can never tell – sometimes it is like this early.

“I am going to cross my fingers and hope we have a good summer this year.”

Local author Terry Darrant said: “I am hopeful the weather is going to be like the summer of 1976 and is going to last all the way through.

“I hope we get a good summer, because we had a bad winter.

“They say it is the hottest weather on record.”

Paula Ransley, 40, of Honiton, said: “I hope we haven’t had our summer already.

“However, we need a little rain for the plants.

“If it’s going to rain it will be when Wimbledon is on.

“I don’t mind a bit of rain, as long as it’s nice for the summer holidays.

“We are getting the sunshine back now.”

Ken Rawlings, 65, said: “The last two summers we have had weather like this.

“May will be wet and miserable and then will probably be the same afterwards.

“I hope not, but I’m afraid we might have had our summer already.”

Beatrix Godfrey, 46, of Ottery St Mary, said: “I hope we haven’t had our summer.

“I am feeling very optimistic about it. My weather prediction is that we are going to have a nice summer, not too hot, just enough rain to keep the garden watered.

“It is going to be fine.

“We always deserve a nice summer.

“A lot of people can’t afford to travel abroad, so I hope it benefits tourist interests down here.”