Met Office finally realise that we live in England!

I'm sure I wasn't the only one in Okehampton caught in yesterday's cloudburst at around 3.15. I only walked from Waitrose through to the back of Martin's. "You timed that wrong", was the greeting as I entered the shop, doing a fair impression of a drowned rat.

But we should be neither surprised or disappointed that periods of sunny weather are punctuated with thunder storms. Surely it's always been like that, only some years are wetter or sunnier than others!

I was therefore pleased to read this morning that the Met Office has finally caught on to the vagaries of the English climate. Forecaster John Hammond gave the following delightful quote, which should preface all future forecasts.

"Some days are sunny and warm, and some days there are showers," he said. "We don't live in the Mediterranean; we live in England. It's part and parcel of our weather."

He also advised anyone contemplating enjoyment of the great outdoors to take an umbrella. Now there's a novel idea! It won't be long before the Met Office realises that the quickest way to bring on rain is to light the barbie or pick up a cricket bat.

Read more about Mr Hammond's predictions here, then go out and put up the garden parasol - it'll work equally well as an umbrella!

PS. Please don't even think about barbecuing tonight: I've got a cricket match to watch!