TENDRING'S sunshine coast is proving it is just that.

Clacton was officially the sunniest place in Britain on Wednesday, when the resort had more sunshine than anywhere else in the UK.

Figures from the Met Office showed it enjoyed 7.5 hours, which was more than twice the average for the town for November.

But yesterday, the resort had 7.7 hours of sunshine but was pipped to the top spot by Hastings, which basked in 8.5 hours.

Clacton has also enjoyed some of the top temperatures in the country for the past month.

As much of the country shivers in sub-zero temperatures, those recorded in Clacton have topped 13C this week, a balmy 55F.

People have still been swimming in the sea off Clacton, enjoying the unseasonal weather.

A Met office spokesman said the fine weather was due to a north-western airstream bringing winds from which the coast is sheltered.

"At this time of year, if you get an airstream that comes from the North West, it is the Essex coast which is favoured.

"Nearby in Suffolk, they are being clipped by showers."

Clacton has been enjoying warm weather all week with figures showing the average for Clacton for the six days up to Wednesday was 5.5 hours.

"It's been well above the average for the time of the year," said a Met Office spokesman.

The average temperature for Clacton, based on figures for the past 30 years, is 10C and the average sunshine is three hours per day.

But the sunshine could be coming to an end. Cloudy weather is predicted for next week and forecasters are expecting a bitterly cold winter.

More in today's Evening Gazette

Published Friday, November 18, 2005