The wet weather put a dampener on the Bank Holiday weekend with many people preferring to stay at home.

Forecasters predicted outbreaks of rain and drizzle in many parts of the country with maximum temperatures only just heading into double digits.

Graham Smith, data manager at Trafficmaster, said: "We are seeing the usual Saturday morning Traffic.

"The weather has put people off. Quite a few have decided they will stay at home."

He said there were a few "hot spots" with heavier traffic, including the A31 towards Bournemouth, roads leading into the Peak District and the A27 along the Dorset coast.

Mr Smith said he was not expecting much traffic on Easter Sunday, which is usually very quiet, and the next busy periods would be on Monday afternoon and next weekend when people return from their week-long holidays.

Forecaster Aisling Creevey, of MeteoGroup, the Press Association's weather division, said it was "not looking great" for the south coast.

She said: "There may be a few heavier bursts of rain later. I don't think there will be any sunbathing. But tomorrow it's looking to improve, with the odd shower and sunny spells."

In Bournemouth the beach by the pier was mostly deserted, with a few dedicated surfers taking to the waters beneath a foreboding sky.

The forecaster said the east of England would experience the worst of tomorrow's rain, with outbreaks of drizzle across other parts of the country.