The Dorchester area recorded its driest April for more than a quarter of a century.

County town weatherman John Oliver said Dorchester enjoyed a warm, dry and sunny month with just six days of rain compared to the average for April of 13 days.

The 9.1mm total rainfall made it the driest April since 1984, with 3.5mm of that total coming on April 29.

Daytime temperatures averaged 18.4 degrees Celsius – usual for early June – and topped 20C on 11 days, including seven days in succession from April 19.

Mr Oliver added: “The Easter period was the warmest and sunniest ever recorded with the mercury peaking at 25.5C on the Saturday.

“This was just 0.3C short of the April record set in 2003.”

The coolest day of the month was April 5, when the maximum temperature was 10.8C.

Nigh temperatures ranged from -0.1C on April 4, which also saw the only frost of the month, to 11.1C on April 2.

Mr Oliver said: “Winds were light for much of the month but gusts did reach 30mph at times during the first few days.”