It's blooming early spring but cold snap is on the way

Flowers are blooming weeks earlier than usual because of the unseasonably warm weather.

Temperatures for January so far have been 3C above average, according to the Met Office.

Scientists at Kew Gardens said this has brought a range of plants, into bloom up to three weeks early. But they warned a cold spell like the one forecast for this weekend could kill off the early spring.

Early-flowering species recorded by the Kew team include the wild daffodil, the yellow crocus, the spring starflower, the purple plum tree and the Cornelian cherry tree. Nigel Hepper of Kew said: "Three seasons of flowers are appearing at the same time: spring flowers earlier than normal, the hangover of last summer's flowers, which would normally have frosted and died, and winter flowers like witch hazel and winter jasmine."

Mr Hepper said he had noticed other signs of early season change: "I have seen bumble bees several weeks early, and frogs in my pond - my lawn even needs a mow."

A Met Office spokeswoman said: "Overall it is going to be one of the warmest Januarys on record, with an average temperature of 5.3C."