Looking back: Fond memories of those long hot days of summer
The mood of a nation is dictated to by the weather when summer comes.
Today we take a look at some classic images of years gone by, when we basked under a blazing sun.
As a landlocked region, there is a tradition for people in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire to head for water.
Those not up for a three-hour trek to the coast instead pack pools in various parks, including East Park in Wolverhampton and its beloved Tettenhall Pool.
Even staff Dudley Zoo staff have got in on the act, donning bikinis and diving in to help keep elephants cool in 1979.
Of course, it hasn’t all been fun. There have been droughts and gorse fires and, in extreme cases, fish suffering from a lack of oxygen in rain-starved rivers.
And spare a thought for those having to work while others enjoy themselves. Staff in Aston were put on overtime in 1982 to meet demand for garden sprinklers. And Clarke Foods took on extra ice cream staff at its Telford and Stourbridge plants in 1992 as demand spiralled.
There is always room for an eccentric as well, of course. John Crosby decided to build a treehouse in Tettenhall in the summer of 1975, but fell foul of planners.
Covid and an erratic summer has limited our options to get out this time around.
But, as we endure another cool spell, there is hope around the corner. Forecasters predict another mini heatwave for early next month.
