As a half-term treat, it certainly beats trudging around draughty museums.

Alex Curran took daughters Lilly-Ella, six, and three-year-old Lexie 0ff to Tenerife for some early sunshine last week.

In pictures which have only just emerged, she squeezes her slender figure into a sequinned bikini as she plays with the girls on the beach.

The heat - the mercury's been nudging a much-hotter-than-here 18C (64F) - went some way to explaining her Dayglo tan out shopping in overcast Liverpool yesterday.

In great shape: Alex Curran escaped the winter weather to enjoy a holiday in Portugal with her two daughters last week

Alex's husband, England player Steven Gerrard, wasn't able to join his wife due to his footballing commitments.

But with both grandmothers on hand, along with Alex's friend Anneli and her son, the family had plenty of company.

However, in her weekly column for OK! magazine Alex said the holiday could have been better.

'We had a nice time but the weather was awful, windy and overcast - there wasn't much time for sunbathing on the beach or by the pool,' she said.

Play time: Alex was holidaying with her daughter Lexie, 3, and Lilly-Ella, 6

And even when Alex headed off on the Wag's favourite activity - a spot of shopping - the weather caught her out.

'We did a bit of shopping at what we thought was going to be a big mall and it actually turned out to be open air, so we got soaked in the rain.'

Together time: Alex's daughters enjoyed playing on the beach

Lets hope there was room for Alex's purchases on the way home.

She wrote: 'I brought huge suitcases full of stuff for the girls and I to wear. I hate packing, though – I just throw everything in.

Beautiful scenery: But Alex said the beach trip was on a rare sunny day

'Steve always says: ‘Are you joking? You’re never going to wear all that!

'Before we went he took the girls to Madame Tussauds as they’ve unveiled a waxwork of him. The girls thought it was so funny to see a waxwork of their daddy!'

Supertan: Alex Curran stuck out like a sore thumb in grey-skied Liverpool with her healthy appearance