The Indian summer everyone is hoping for could become reality as the temperature rises this week.

Those who are hoping to catch some last minute sun rays on Brighton beach may be in luck as the Met Office forecasts a “significant rise” in temperature with highs of 24C (75.2F) on Thursday.

Today is expected to mark the start of the warm weather, with cloud and sunny spells predicted, and temperatures between 15C (59F) and 22C (71.6F).

This spell of warm weather is expected to reach its peak on Thursday before dropping again with the threat of showers on Friday.

A Met Office spokesman said: “We’re not classing it as a heat wave but it is definitely a significant rise in temperature with lows of 18 degrees.

“But it will be about six degrees above the average we expect at this time of year.

“It’s due to warm air moving off the Mediterranean and from France.

“There will be sunny spells and the slight chance of showers with a light, south easterly wind.”

If it materialises, the good weather will mirror what holidaymakers are expecting to enjoy while relaxing in the Algarve, Portugal, or Madrid, Spain later in the week.

Sadly it will not be as hot as those enjoying the sunshine in Biarritz, France, or the Maldives, where temperatures are expected to reach highs of 29C (84.2F).

Despite a wet start to the year with floods causing havoc across the country, Brighton enjoyed plenty of warm weather this summer.

But this was interspersed with bouts of heavy rain, including flash floods in July which brought public transport to a standstill.

Last year Sussex was hit by a series of heat waves, some of which reached level three and made for a long, hot summer.

Tens of thousands of holidaymakers squeezed on to Brighton beach in July with traders enjoying the busiest week in years.

But calls to the emergency crews were up by nearly a third as scorching temperatures neared 30C (80F).

Health bosses warned about health risks after a four-month-old was treated for severe sunstroke.