Pot of gold after a sizzling summer for Shropshire
The clouds may be gathering but Shropshire can officially look back at the hottest summer on record.
Average temperatures in the county narrowly beat those seen in 1976.
Ironically, the announcement was made as the county prepared for an unsettled spell of sunshine, showers – and the odd rainbow.
Temperatures for June to August reveal that this year is top of the league table in records dating back to 1910.
It falls into a list of hot summers that include 2006, 2003 and 1976. To the nearest 0.1C, all four years saw an average temperature for the summer of 15.8C (60.4F).
Despite the unsettled outlook this week, forecasters say that autumn may also provide Shropshire with "above-average" temperatures.
The outlook covering September and October shows "an increased chance of high-pressure patterns close to the UK".
