Motorists are being warned that some journeys could take three times longer than normal on Good Friday as millions of people embark on an Easter getaway.

The worst jams are expected between 11am and 4.30pm according to research by the RAC and traffic information supplier Inrix.

An estimated 4.4 million people will take to the UK's roads for leisure trips on Good Friday.

Thursday saw a number of routes clogged up by people making an early start ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

AA president Edmund King said Saturday will see a 'congestion cocktail' of day trippers, shoppers, sun-seekers and football fans taking to the roads.

'Expect delays and allow plenty of extra time for your journey', he added.

For those staying in the UK, the Met Office is predicting plenty of warm, dry and sunny weather across the country.

Temperatures are expected to widely reach the low 20s Celsius and peak at 24C or 25C in the south.

The record temperature for Easter Sunday in the UK is 25.3C in Solent, Hampshire in April 2011.

Met Office chief meteorologist Frank Saunders said: 'Temperatures will continue to rise day by day and with the sun getting stronger at this time of year, it's going to feel warm or very warm across much of the country this Easter weekend.

'With temperatures usually around 12C to 15C at this time of year, it's certainly going to be significantly warmer than average this Easter weekend and quite a contrast to the colder weather we've seen so far this month.'

Airports, ferry terminals and the Channel Tunnel will be extremely busy.

Highways England said it will remove more than 450 miles of roadworks in time for the weekend, meaning 99% of motorways and major A-roads in England will be clear of cones.

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