The UK Trade Association for Tour Operators and Travel Agents (ABTA) has revealed that the bad weather in the UK is leading many people to consider a last-minute holiday abroad this summer.

More than a quarter of respondents (27%) say they would be tempted to book a trip to a warm, sunny place if they could get a good deal, while one in five (19%) say they would book just to escape bad weather in the UK, according to a report by Publituris.

Across countries, Scots are the most keen to swap the rain for sunnier beaches, with 31% saying they would book if they could find a good deal for somewhere warm and sunny and 27% saying they would book just to escape the weather.

This comes after Met Office figures showed that the UK has just had its wettest spring since 1986, and despite the occasional day of better weather here and there, forecasts for August suggest that sun-lovers in the UK don't have much to look forward to.

Meanwhile, many of the UK's most popular destinations in Europe are set to receive daily sunshine over the next week, including the Costa del Sol, the Algarve, Greek islands such as Rhodes and Crete, and resorts in Turkey.

ABTA says that, “whatever the motivation, there is still time for travellers to get a good deal this summer, especially if they can be flexible about where they go and departure date”, the association encouraging people to speak up talk to your travel agent or local tour operator to see “what’s still available”.

ABTA's Director of Communications, Graeme Buck, states in the association's statement that “although many people already have a summer holiday ahead of them, our data suggests that a significant percentage may book a late trip, particularly if the rainy summer in the UK continue and if they can find a getaway at a good price.”