St. George's Day 2013: Sun shines as England celebrates with temperatures set to hit 20C Temperatures are set to fall in time for the weekend Temperatures hit 20C today as the sun shone on England for St George's Day today - and tomorrow could be even hotter. It was 20.3C in St James' Park central London, and at Charlwood, Surrey, at 4pm today, the Met Office said. It could reach 21C (70F) in the south tomorrow with 22C on Thursday. The warm weather makes it as hot as the city of Tangiers in Morocco - and warmer than California, where it was expected to reach just 19C (66F). Warm weather: Two women enjoy the sunshine in Green Park, London, today as temperatures were set to hit 20C Beach day: Southampton University students Kate O'Riordan, Anouska Partner and Hannah Mortimer, all 20, in the sea at Bournemouth beach today Relaxing: A man sits in a deckchair reading a newspaper in St James' Park, central London, today where temperatures peaked at 20.3C If it does reach 22C, it will equal the warmest day of the year so far on April 14 when it reached 22C in Gravesend, Kent. Wave: The Duchess of Cambridge meets primary school pupils in Wythenshawe, Manchester, today. Visit: The Duchess of Cambridge in the sunshine at Willows Primary School in Wythenshawe today, with a visible baby bump In Evesham, Worcestershire, the first cut of the season's asparagus was delivered to shops in an eccentric ceremony. The Great English Asparagus Run witnessed a 'round of Gras' tied in willow twine being sent off to the dinner table. The quirky ceremony, in which a local vicar blessed the humble vegetable, is always held on St George's Day. Patriotism: Crowds celebrate St George's Day in Nottingham's Old Square market today Busy on the beach: Sunseekers headed to Brighton beach today as the temperature hit 20C in the south Heathaze: Although it is a weekday, the beach at Brighton was busy today. However, the weather will take a turn for the worse by the weekend St George's celebrations: Morris dancers perform to a crowd of people in Leadenhall market today to mark April 23 A group of Morris Dancers perform as part of St George's Day celebrations in Leadenhall Market English colour: Decked out in the red and white of the English flag, these Morris dancer's perform today Soaking up the sun: City workers enjoy the sunshine in London today against the city backdrop as temperatures hit 20C Enjoying the weather: Construction workers take a break in front of the Tower of London today Celebrations: A 20ft high model of St George parades though Swindon Town centre for St George's Day April 23: St George's day celebrations in Nottingham's Old Market Square Beach workout: A couple jog along the promenade by the beach huts in Hove, Sussex Day out: A pensioner enjoys the weather by the beach in Hove today The round was driven away in a top-down Morgan classic car and across the country to the luxury London department store Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly, where it will feature on a seasonal menu. Angela Tidmarsh, organiser, said: 'We're here to celebrate everything good and great about Britain.' David Cameron hailed the growing popularity of St George's Day celebrations. Warm:A sun-seeker makes the most of her lunch break on Bournemouth beach while Inaya Dehal, aged one, from Swindon, makes the most of her day trip Sun seekers: With temperatures set to hit 20C today, it looks like a summer's day on Bournemouth beach Warm weather at last: A couple soak up the sun outside their beach hut at Bournemouth today Spring day out: Sylvie Bramley, three, plays on Bournemouth beach today Beautiful day: A young girl smells the daffodils in Sawnley Park, Kent, today as temperatures hit 20C Delight: Miqualer Causon, aged 21 months, enjoys the weather in Stanley Park, Blackpool, today Hot day: Student Viktoria Ruskyte sits among the cherry blossom enjoying the warm weather by the River Cam in Cambridge today Sun: A woman paints a picture in the St James's Park today as temperatures are set to hit 20C in the south of England Warm: Revellers sit on the steps outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, central London today In Bournemouth, Dorset, many of the 3,500 deckchairs on the seafront had been taken up as people flocked to the coast. Families, students and officers workers on their lunch breaks were all soaking up the sunshine. Debbie Brown, 35, from Poole, was walking along the promenade with her children Max, four, and Charlie, two. She said: 'Finally we have a spring! We've had such miserable weather for what feels like forever so when I heard the forecast this morning I almost couldn't believe it. I thought it best to make the most of it as it will probably turn cold again knowing this country. 'The kids have enjoyed a nice time building sandcastles, it's such a far cry from a few weeks ago when we were stuck inside with all the rain.' Hot: Jessica Dutton, aged five, and her grandfather Neville, play in a fountain in Nottingham today Spring day: A family enjoy the sunny weather in Greenwich Park today Spring weather: A woman enjoys the sunshine among the daffodils in St James's Park today as temperatures are set to hit 20C Lunchtime revellers: The warm weather drew a huge lunchtime crowd to Green Park today And in Scotland, where it has been far colder in recent weeks, two German teenagers have finally escaped Scotland's icy grip after their camper van became stuck in a Highland snow drift for a month. Oli Suft, and Julia Kumschier, both 19, left were stranded up a remote glen near Bridge of Balgie in Glenlyon by freak weather more than four weeks ago The couple, from Bavaria, had travelled to Scotland after falling for the scenery in the recent James Bond film, Skyfall. They set off in their Volkswagen camper van but their holiday turned into a nightmare when they got stuck in a snowstorm as they crossed a nine-mile stretch of untreated hill-pass near Ben Lawers by Loch Tay on 18 March - blithely ignoring warning signs that the road was 'unsuitable during winter months'. They had to abandon their van and walk six miles in the snow before finding the nearest village. The camper remained stuck in the snow until Perth and Kinross Council sent a JCB to clear a passageway through the snow last Tuesday. A digger cut a metre-high channel and dragged their van out. Amazingly it started first time despite being exposed to the elements for a month. The couple set off on Monday morning for the docks at Newcastle. Pleasant weather: People gather in St James's Park today as London heats up for St George's Day Spring run: Two joggers in St James's Park today Meanwhile, hay fever sufferers received some good news today as experts predicted a shorter hay fever season this summer. Cold weather over recent months is thought to have delayed the release of silver birch and grass pollen. Beverley Adams-Groom, pollen forecaster at the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, said: 'The most important tree pollen type is silver birch which triggers hay fever in approximately 25 per cent of sufferers. The cold weather of the last few months will delay the release of birch pollen which, in an average year, starts to be emitted from around the beginning of April in the south of the country. This year it could be at least two weeks later. Ms Adams-Groom added: 'Grass pollen affects around 95% of hay fever sufferers in the UK. There are a number of grass species that flower ahead of the main pollen season, often in April, such as sweet vernal grass and foxtail. The cold weather will delay the flowering of these types which is good news for those people who are affected by these species. However, it's too early to predict what will happen during the main grass pollen season.' St George's celebrations: Soldiers from 12 and 47 Regiment of the Royal Artillery, march through St Peter's Square in Emsworth today