LAST year was the fifth warmest for the UK in records dating back more than a century, the Met Office has confirmed.

Figures show the UK climate is warming, with average temperatures over the last decade around 0.8C above the 1961 to 1990 average, while the country has also seen 8% more rain and 6% more sunshine.

The annual state of the UK climate report also revealed that, in contrast to this summer, UK summers have been notably wetter over the last decade from 2008 to 2017, with 20% more rainfall compared to 1961-1990.

Nine of the 10 hottest years in the UK have happened since 2002 and 2017 was the fifth warmest on record, the Met Office said. The Central England Temperature record which dates back to 1659 reveals the 21st century has been warmer than the previous three centuries.

The report also found that average sea levels have risen around 1.4mm a year since the start of the 20th century - equivalent to a rise of about 16cm (6.3 inches) since 1900.

Dr Mark McCarthy, manager of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, said: “Our climate is changing, globally and here in the UK.

“People may not recall 2017 as having been a particularly warm year, with a relatively wet summer and snow in December.