Chilly August followed flaming July as temperatures plunged

Temperatures may have hit a record in July but a chilly August made this summer the coldest in the past three years.

Higher rainfall than average also ensured a soggier season than usual, finishing up with a wet bank holiday weekend at the end of last month.

The average temperature for summer was just 13.9C (57F) - a far cry from the sweltering heat of July when the mercury rose to 36.7C (98F) at Heathrow.