THE last thing you want when shelling out for a holiday is to have to gamble on the weather.

There is nothing worse for a sun-seeker than breaking the bank for a holiday, only to end up watching the rain while sheltering in a beach bar.

While it may be cheaper to have a holiday in the UK, there are plenty of sun-drenched islands just a short flight away.

And your Crunch Busting Chronicle has teamed up with low cost airline Jet2holidays.com and a weather expert to calculate the best ‘pound per sun’ deals.

Using weather predictions for June, July and August, we divided the cost of a holiday flying out of Newcastle International Airport with the expected hours of sunshine.

And the results reveal a seven-day break to the Algarve is Top of the Hotspots, boasting 11 hours of 27.5C sunshine a day. Based on average holiday costs the sun rating starts at £2.80 per hour.

Other destinations making up the foreign hotspots are Turkey at £3.70 p/h, Majorca £3.80 p/h, Costa del Sol £4 p/h and Corfu £4.80 p/h.

We used the same calculations to compare UK breaks.

Bognor Regis came out top with a daily dose of seven hours of sunshine working out at £3.60 an hour for an accommodation-only deal. Other places ranking alongside the Sussex sun-spot are Morecambe £4.20, Cleethorpes £4.20, Tenby £4.50 and Ilfracombe £4.20.

Lucy Black, marketing manager at Jet2holidays.com, said: “While we’re not criticising British holidays, the UK is notorious for bad weather. Therefore, we developed this simple comparison, which allows holidaymakers to make an informed decision on this year’s summer holiday.

“By investigating weather forecasts well in advance, we can provide customers with accurate information to ensure the best possible holiday experience, highlighting where they can get maximum sunshine for the lowest price possible.”

Jonathan Powell, senior weather forecaster at Positive Weather Solutions, said: “After a run of two poor summers in the UK, going abroad for your holidays this year is still by far the best option for people seeking reliable sunshine.

“The British weather doesn’t seem to be settling into a pattern to provide sustained warm temperatures and periods of sunshine, so the best bet is to travel to the likes of the Algarve, Corfu, and Turkey, where warmth and sunshine are virtually guaranteed.’’