EAST Lancashire was bathed in sunshine for much of June, with only five sunless days recorded during the entire month.

The first week of the month was more unsettled, and saw higher winds, lower temperatures and heavier rainful, but the rest of June was mostly sunny and bright.

Although the county didn’t see any of the high temperatures often common in June, the weather was very sunny, with only one windy day.

Last month saw 185 hours of sunshine, which is 137 per cent more than is expected in a typical June.

The highest temperature recorded last month was 23.3 degrees, on Wedn-esday, June 18, which was more than two degrees cooler than the usual June high.

The rain also stayed away for much of the month, meaning that June was 41 per cent drier than average.

There were 17 days throughout the month when no rain fell at all, and only six days where 1mm of rain or more fell on the county.

The dryness last month would have been exceptional had 50 per cent of June’s total rainfall not fallen in one day. The figures show 27.2mm of rain fell on Saturday, June 7, which made up half the month’s total rainfall of 54.5mm.

Saturday, June 7 was also the windiest day of the month, when gusts reached 29 mph.

The forecast for July looks to be changeable and wet at times, but inter-spersed with some drier, sunnier periods.