The warmer weather that we associate with spring may be a little late arriving this year.But that wasn’t going to stop the ladies of Liverpool delivering a much more reliable sign of the season – an appearance at Aintree in all their finery. And while the temperatures might not be quite what we would usually expect from a Grand National opening day, the outfits certainly were.
Towering platform heels were the most popular choice of footwear on day one of the Aintree meet but by 4pm some of the girls were feeling the pinch
Bare arms and legs were a big trend as female racing fans dressed to show off their carefully applied tans
Bracing: Many of the racegoers left their coats at home to make sure that they could show off their brightly coloured outfits to maximum effect
As the freezing snap continued and snow flurries hit the south of England, racegoers further north refused to hide their lightweight dresses under anything as mundane as a coat.
Unfortunately, the bitter north-easterly winds meant they were left with no choice but to accessorise with goosebumps and chattering teeth.
So it will probably be cold comfort for them to learn that better weather is on its way – but not until next week, when comparatively balmy temperatures of 13C are likely.
Southern discomfort: Snow continued to fall in London, left, and the winter weather looks set to continue across the country throughout the weekend, right
Glamorous couples dressed to impress for the Grand Opening day including one women showing some serious leg in teetering Christian Louboutin heels, left, while the stiff winterly breeze causes an embarrassing moment for another glamour queen, right
Mine's a pint: Beer and chips were on the menu for many of the Liverpool lasses as they refuelled between races
Monochrome magic: Another trio of friends chose complimentary black and white evening dresses for their day at the races
John Lee, a forecaster with Meteogroup, said: ‘Looking ahead there are signs [the cold weather] will break down next week and we’ll see a return to slightly milder conditions.
‘The average temperature [for this time of year] is about 13C and there are signs of that next week.
‘Compared to what we have had, that will feel quite nice but it will be accompanied by some rain.’
Yesterday saw contrasting conditions across the British Isles, with the warmest temperatures of 10C at Helen’s Bay in Northern Ireland, and 8C on the Isle of Skye.