Dymock weather watcher Tony Denby is pointing to statistics for April to show that the year has been unusually sunny and dry.

But Mr Denby, of Great Woodend, warned that a dry spring has tended to herald wetter summers.

Despite April's reputation for showers, a total of fourteen sunny days were noted in 2003. The hottest day came on April 15, with 23.6 degrees Celsius.

The average April temperature, of 15.03C, was almost one degree higher that the ten-year average.

The coldest temperature, minus 1.8C, was on April 8. The wettest day, 6.3mm, came on April 25.