10-05-2025
Beer we go! Otley Runners brave sizzling mini-heatwave to go on 19-pub booze crawl as Britain bathes in temperatures hotter than Ibiza
Revellers today hit the streets of West Yorkshire to take part in the infamous Otley Run pub crawl as Britain basked in temperatures hotter than Ibiza.
The party animals were seen in an array of fancy dress outfits, with many taking inspiration from the newly-elected Pope Leo XIV.
And as they travelled through the 19-stop journey in Leeds, the swathes of youngsters stopped to pose for photographs as the sun beamed down on them.
Some of the most creative costumes on show ranged from attempts at Minnie Mouse to the cast of The Inbetweeners and full suit 'Minions' from the Despicable Me film series.
Others, perhaps sensibly dressing for the warmer weather, opted for Hawaiian shirts which they paired with the traditional flower necklace known as a Lei.
In Leeds, temperatures peaked at around 20C between 2-3pm, meaning the North Yorkshire city was as hot as parts of the Balearic islands.
Meanwhile London was today one of the hottest cities in Europe, with its highs of 25C putting the likes of Lisbon, Barcelona and Rome to shame on the thermostat front.
Though it is not all good news for the rest of the weekend on the UK weather map.
Forecasters at the Met Office have warned that thunderstorms, hail and lightning could hit parts of Britain tomorrow.
Most of this is said to affect South Wales and parts of the West Midlands, with Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey saying there could be 'heavy, short sharp' bursts of rain and hail and lightning.
He told MailOnline this morning: 'As is the case with thunderstorms, they're often quite hit and miss.
'Obviously it has been a pretty dry spring so for many areas rain is needed, but because of the heavy nature of these showers, splashing onto hard surfaces, there is the potential for minor localised issues and flooding.'
The wet weather could also see areas in Northern Ireland and Scotland over Sunday and Monday affected.
But for British partygoers soaking in the Saturday sun, that news is tomorrow's problem, and it certainly didn't dampen spirits today.
Some sun worshippers were seen enjoying the baking heat by going paddle boarding in the spring sunshine on River Nidd in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire - around 30 minutes from where the Otley Run takes place.
Londoners also flocked to the Thames embankment by Putney riverside in south west London.
Pictured: People relaxing in the warm sunshine on the Thames embankment by Putney riverside, south west London
But for those who braved the Otley Run today, it showed another marker of defiance two weeks after an extremist tried to massacre youngsters on the route with his crossbow last month.
Owen Lawrence, 38, shot two women - aged 19 and 31 - with a crossbow along the route of the pub crawl before turning the weapon on himself on Saturday, April 26.
Just hours before Lawrence made the three minute walk from his flat to the Otley Road, he published a Facebook manifesto dubbed 'The Otley Run Massacre'.
Under a post titled 'attack information', Lawrence listed his 'targets', which included 'students, night club goers, Otley Run participants', as well as 'neurotypicals, and the police'.
Just hours before Lawrence made the three minute walk from his flat to the Otley Road, he published a Facebook manifesto dubbed 'The Otley Run Massacre'
He went on to list what category the attack would fall under: 'Mass murder, terrorism, revenge, misogynyic [sic] rage, homicide/suicide.'
Lawrence said in the post he would be using a range of weapons including four different types of guns, a crossbow, an 'unbreakable' baseball bat and two lollipop shanks.
Lawrence later died in hospital as a result of his injuries.
