The number of people heading out to the shops fell for the first July in 14 years due in part to the wet weather. Overall footfall was down by 0.3% in the first drop in July since 2009, said the BBC reporting on retail analysis firm Springboard.

Although it seemed like it rained every day in July, it was only, according to the Met Office, the sixth wettest July on record across the UK as whole. The country had an average of 140.1mm rain last month, the sixth highest total for July since records began in 1836, according to provisional data.

But the local (and best weather service) , Kilmersdon Weather HERE has reported that according to its data, July was cool, 1.1 centigrade below the long term mean and there was 261% of the normal July rainfall. It was duller than average and also much windier - proper summer holiday weather in fact !