Along with the rest of the country, Stroud was scorched by searing temperatures last week.

The mercury rose to 35C in the Five Valleys on Wednesday as the country experienced the hottest July day since records began. Amateur meteorologist Ian Thomas looks back to some recent hot summers.

AFTER a seemingly endless winter, the coldest since 1996-97, it came as a blessing when following a wet May, summer eventually arrived on June 1.

The Five Valleys, along with much of Britain, has recently basked in days of endless sunshine and high temperatures.

Indeed on Wednesday, the thermometer climbed to anything between 32C(90F) and 35C(95F) in Stroud.

The highest temperature in the country was 36.5 C (97.4F) recorded in Wisley, Surrey.

In Stroud, shops did a fine trade in ice cream and cold drinks and crowds flocked to the shade of Bank Gardens during their lunch breaks.

Despite the heat, the town centre was still packed with shoppers.

A good summer this may be but I look back 30 years to a summer that those amongst us who are 40 or more will well remember.

The summer of 1976 was the longest, hottest and driest of the 20th Century and warmest since 1826.

The previous summer was also excellent and the drought began in May 1975, continuing for 16 months until August 1976.

The autumn of 1975, 1975-76 winter and spring of 1976 were very dry.

The River Frome was at an all time low causing various problems up and down the valley.

The heat returned in May and after a short interruption of cooler conditions, the heat wave began on June 21.

From June 25 until July 8 (14 consecutive days), the mercury reached 32C(90F) or more in Stroud.

The hottest day was Saturday, July 3 when along with Dursley, the temperature peaked at 35.5C (96F) and Cheltenham set the county July record at 35.9C (96.6F).

Stratford Park swimming pool was packed out as the heat continued and gritters sprayed melting tarmac.

Rodborough and Minchinhampton commons along with all grassland turned completely brown.

Stroud and Nailsworth firemen were inundated with scrubland fires, especially during August.

However, it all came to an abrupt end on the bank holiday weekend as the rains returned and September turned out to be very wet with 6.93' (176mm) of rain.

Just for the record, the hottest day in Gloucestershire was August 3, 1990 with a high of 37.1C (99F)recorded at Cheltenham and the hottest day in the UK was August 10, 2003 with a staggering 38.1C (101.3F)recorded at Brogdale near Faversham (Kent).