BLACKBURN could experience its first taste of spring this weekend after a snowy start to the week.

Warmer weather is expected to arrive across the country with temperatures soaring to 17C (63F) in some areas.

A Met Office spokesman predicted a "marked change" on Saturday. It means temperatures could be higher than in Istanbul and Corfu in some parts of the UK.

East Lancashire experienced snow on Monday, but this weekend locals could be dusting off their patio furniture for the first time this year with temperatures set to reach 13C or 55F.

It means Blackburn could be warmer than Rome and Lille in France.

The Met Office's Simon Partridge said: "We are going to have some milder conditions and there will be a marked change with spring temperatures from Saturday.

"We have been there already, but not for a while. The most recent highest temperature was at Exeter Airport. It was 16.5C (62F) on January 9.

"The mild weather is coming in the from the South West, which originated in the Caribbean area and across the Atlantic.

"Moray in north-eastern Scotland is looking to be the warmest part of the country due to the shelter from the Scottish Highlands. It will probably be about 15C (59F) but there is an outside chance of it reaching the high 16s or 17C (63F).

"In London you are looking at 15C (59F) for this weekend so it's going to be pretty mild with spring conditions there.

"It will be less mild in the north of England with temperatures around 11C (52F) or 12C (54F) in Liverpool and Manchester, though there is an outside chance of it reaching 13C (55F).

"If you go further east the high ground will break that cold and temperatures could be around 15C (59F) in the South East."

The North East and South West should see temperatures of around 13C (55F), but in Wales clouds and stronger winds mean it is unlikely to exceed 12C (54F),” Mr Partridge said.

"It's going to be a marked change and people will feel the difference. In some parts of the country people are going to be having a very pleasant day compared to the weather in the last few weeks."

The average mean temperature is 6-8C (43-46F) in the north of the UK and 5-6C (41-43F) in the south, he said.