THOUSANDS of people travelled to the region's tourist hotspots yesterday as the final bank holiday of the year finished on a high.

After a summer that seems to have passed by most of Britain, the country spent the weekend basking in sunshine, with temperatures reaching 28C (82F).

Almost a third of people enjoying the long weekend headed for the coast, according to the AA.

Ian Robson, of the Magpie Cafe, in Whitby, said it may have been a record weekend for some businesses.

He said: "It has been extremely busy in the town. It probably has not made up for the rest of the summer, but it has certainly helped a lot of people."

Many also headed inland.

Kathryn Lowe, a tourist information centre assistant at the Durham Dales Centre, in Stanhope, County Durham, said: "It has certainly been one of the busiest weekends we have seen for a while."

Sue Archer, of Archer's Ice Cream Parlour, in Walworth, near Darlington, said: "It has been super; it is back to normal really. We had nice weather the weekend before last, and that was really our busiest time, and it has improved this weekend. It has been a bit difficult lately as we are very weather-orientated here."

David Armstrong, of the Clow Beck Eco Centre, in Croft, near Darlington, said: "I think it has been extremely successful.

"Today, we have got the gardens open for a fundraiser and that has been amazingly successful."