Here comes the sun – just in time for Tony McCoy to win the Grand National

It was the day, to quote the Beatles, when Britain finally said goodbye to its long, cold, lonely winter. After what had seemed like months of bitterly chill weather marked by freakish snow storms and travel chaos, the country was finally able to celebrate the arrival of spring. On a day of glorious sunshine, when temperatures in many areas threatened to reach the low 20s, supermarkets reported a surge in demand for barbecue food as people made the best of the last days of the Easter break. Across the Atlantic, Lee Westwood was fighting Phil Mickelson for the lead in the latter stages of the third round of the US Masters in Augusta after Mickelson hauled himself into the lead by holing consecutive eagles. Tiger Woods and veteran Fred Couples were lurking a few shots behind, with Ian Poulter slipping back, having started the day in second, but still in contention. At Aintree in Liverpool, an estimated 70,000 people turned out to watch Tony McCoy on Don't Push It win the 163rd Grand National, the highlight of a massive sporting weekend that saw an estimated £1bn bet on the National, the Masters Golf tournament in the US and the two FA Cup semi-finals. It was McCoy's first Grand National victory in 15 attempts. Interviewed on the BBC, he was close to tears. "It's everything to win the Grand National," he said. "I have won lots of great races but I am supposed to be a great rider and to not have won it was a big gap in the CV. I am delighted." Ruby Walsh, due to ride the other favourite, Big Fella Thanks, was forced to withdraw earlier in the day with a broken arm. Replacement jockey Barry Geraghty still managed to bring the horse in fourth, while Black Apalachi, which led for much of the latter part of the race, came in second and State of Play third. McCoy's victory meant there was no fairytale ending for female jockey Nina Carberry, riding her horse Character Building, against her brother Paul, who was competing on the 2008 runner-up, King John's Castle. A leading contender at 16-1, she had been many punters' favourite to win the four-and-a-half-mile race that bookmaker William Hill estimated attracted more than £250m in bets. If punters had descended on Aintree in the hope of finding refuge from the general election, they were to be disappointed. John Prescott pitched up in his battle bus. The former deputy prime minister's presence was eclipsed by Wag glamour earlier in the day when Coleen Rooney, wife of the England striker Wayne Rooney, presented a prize to the winner of a competition to find the best-dressed woman at the course. It was not just the bookies that enjoyed a spending spree. The big stores reported brisk sales as shoppers rushed to take advantage of the better weather. Asda said yesterday it expected to sell 65% more fresh sausages, 50% more rosé wine, and 80% more barbecues compared to a typical weekend in April. "The cold snap this year has been so much more severe than normal, people can't wait to enjoy a bit of sun," a spokesman for the store said. "We expect to sell 2.5 million packs of fresh meat and 70% more garden furniture sets this weekend alone." He added: "We've also rushed in 300 tonnes of charcoal and 50% more BBQs, At our busiest times this weekend we will sell the equivalent of 500 sausages every minute." Hotspots included Avonmouth in Gloucestershire, where temperatures reached 19C in the shade, while London managed 16C. A further sign that the big freeze is finally over came with sales of the first batches of outdoor-grown British asparagus. But hopes that the warm weather will continue look optimistic. The Met Office said an easterly breeze coming in from the North Sea will cool temperatures.