Forget Christmas - spring has sprung - in December

Autumn leaves are still on the trees, holly berries and mistletoe are everywhere and now daffodils have started to emerge from the warm soil.

As temperatures hovered around 12c across the region last night and climbed steadily today, weather forecasters said records were being broken across the country.

This month is expected to become the hottest December since records began - unless we see a plunge on the thermometer over the coming 10 days.

The balmy weather is tricking our plants, with daffodils the first to start to flower.

Jim Sword said he was astonished to find a patch of daffs in full bloom in his garden in Four Crosses, between Welshpool and Oswestry.

The 85-year-old, who grew up in Keswick in Cumbria and is more used to sub zero temperatures in December, said he could not believe it.

"I have never known daffodils to be out in December," he said.

"I have also got primroses flowering. It is just like spring in the garden."

More daffodils were spotted growing by the roadside in Moreton, near Newport, by motorist Dave Gittus from Newport, while in Ellesmere honeysuckle is still in bloom in the hedgerows, with no frost to stop the growth.

The mild weather has also seen animals who who usually hibernate, such as hedgehogs, still active – which is good news as it means they are able to eat more and be better to equipped to deal with winter – if it arrives.

Farmers say that the mild winter has meant a monster crop of sprouts for the Christmas Day lunch, with many growing as large as golf balls.

But the good crop will keep down prices – which while good for shoppers is not so good for the growers. and retailers

Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel UK, said: "Temperatures only needs to top 15.5c reached in Hemsby back in 1993 to beat the previous daily UK record.

"16.5 or even 17C possible in the East Midlands to Lincolnshire and Yorkshire to NE England."

But he said with the warm weather comes the risk of more flooding.

"A wave in a cold front moving threatens some heavy rain tonight with a local flood risk," he said.

"Heavy showers in Wales to north west England and western Scotland on Sunday may give another 10 to 20mm of rain.

"Rain is again forecast for Monday and Tuesday but Wednesday looks drier and colder with plenty of sunshine.

"It is still some way off yet, but Christmas Day looks colder over the north and there could be some snow showers for northern Scotland, while central and southern Britain may be quite wet."

The very unsettled and often wet westerly pattern set to continue after Christmas to New Year.