EAST Lancashire is basking in warm sunshine - with experts predicting this could be one of the hottest Aprils on record.

With temperatures reaching as high as 24 degrees celsius experts continue to forecast plenty of fine and warm weather for the rest of the month, providing ideal conditions to get out and about.

The April showers you would normally expect to see have not materialised, and across the region gardeners have watched as trees and bulbs blossomed early.

And East Lancashire ice cream makers Huntley's of Samlesbury reported record sales of its home-made ice cream, up 80 per cent on last year.

Local weather expert Alastair James said: "We have definitely had a prolonged dry spell over the last month, but that's not so unusual these days.

"A couple of years ago we had two or three weeks of it. But what is unusual is the sheer warmth of the weather this year. The weekend just gone was one of the warmest I've recorded in over 11 years. It really was exceptionally warm."

Huntley's, in Whalley Road, makes the ice cream using milk from its farm's own cows, and sells it from a shop which was set up the day foot and mouth was declared. Its products are also distributed nationwide.

Owner Eddie Cowpe said: "The start to this year's season has been phenomenal. We've never had an April like this.

"Normally you can expect a fair amount of rain at this time of the year but it's been the opposite so far."

The company normally sells around 500 gallons per week but in the last two weeks has sold 900 gallons every seven days - the equivalent of 20,457 ice creams.

Weather-watcher Mr James said record temperatures may well be round the corner.

"These spells of warm, dry weather seems to becoming pattern. The record for April here is 29 degrees, but with the sun getting stronger as we get towards the end of the month, we could well be seeing that record broken.

He added: "It's great for people to be able to enjoy such lovely weather, although sweltering heat is not much fun if you're at work!"

The Met Office has said there is a 60 per cent chance 2007 will beat 1998 as the hottest year worldwide.

The warm weather should continue today, but there could be rain on Thursday, but Friday and Saturday will have sunny intervals.