"March - the gateway to spring. Y'know, clocks go forward, washing the car after work just because you can, 'Nights are drawing out now', 'Fred, get off your ass and cut that bleedin' lawn will ya', mad hares, mad hair, pre-warnings of hosepipe bans, nip down the High Street in just a t-shirt, freeze your tits off, etc etc. Marvellous. It's the stuff that March is made of. Well you'd like to think so wouldn't you?

Unfortunately, all that is about to change. This year's heavy rain (as predicted by my good self at the turn of the year) has brought a dramatic twist to the long-term weather prospects. The underground water level - the 'Water Table' - in this area is now so high that experts believe there may be enough water stored to supply the region for the next decade. Many of the outlying hills are now completely full, with reports of guysers on Kelston Round Hill.

Even if the sun came out right now, which it won't, and shone continuously for six whole months at blazing temperatures, there would still be an enormously huge abundance of ground water. This will see our rivers remaining in full flood well into 2005, with localised precipitation occuring daily as a result of the excess water. Cane Shum would appear to be developing it's own Micro Climate. Let's hope someone works out how to control it very soon." Albert Mills