Bishops Cannings farmer Stephen Horton has been recognised by the Environment Agency and Met Office for helping assembling rainfall figures over the last half century.

Mr Horton and his wife Susan of Easton Farm, received the award from Stuart Herridge of the Met Office and Katherine Holmes of the Environment Agency.

Mr Horton took over from his father John as a rainfall observer 25 years ago. Mr Horton senior had himself taken on the role from farmer Jim Coombes, who had been collecting data since the 1930s.

Mr Herridge said: “It is rare to have data returned from a single site for longer than five years. Sometimes a farmer will retire and his son will have no interest in following in his footsteps.

“This data is invaluable in keeping tabs on climatic conditions, with particular reference to climate change.”