SHORT sleeves and sunhats were still the order of the day as East Anglia continued to bask in the summer heat.

SHORT sleeves and sunhats were still the order of the day as East Anglia continued to bask in the summer heat.

The mercury in Suffolk and Essex again rose to 24C (75F) yesterday for the second consecutive day.

And more hot weather is expected today although temperatures will start to dip slightly to 21C (70F).

John Law, a forecaster with WeatherQuest, said: “The highest temperature yesterday was 24C so it was a perfect day for the Lowestoft Air Show. It was really very nice, with a light breeze off the sea and plenty of sunshine. It stayed dry across the county. The warmest, however, was in London where it reached 27C (81F).

“Today should be a good day but with a small amount of cloud in the afternoon. There will be good spells of sunshine but it will be a little bit cooler.”

But Mr Law went on: “The weekend does look a bit more unsettled. We will see more showers developing, especially tomorrow.

“Sunday will be another day of sunshine and showers and temperatures will be a little cooler. There will still be some sunshine.”

The hot weather led an animal welfare charity to warn owners yesterday to keep their pets safe from the sun after a cat with skin cancer had to have her ears amputated.

Nine-year-old stray Summer had her ears amputated at The Blue Cross animal hospital in south London after developing skin cancer.

Announcing a new guide to summer skin safety, Blue Cross chief vet Caroline Reay said: “When planning days out this summer, spare a thought for your pets.

“They love joining in the fun but remember that hot weather can be dangerous for them.”