WHEN it comes to rainfall wars Okehampton meteorological enthusiast Derek Godfrey-Brown will shower you in some interesting facts.

'Okehampton seems to believe it is the wettest place in the South West — but it is not!' says an emphatic Derek.

'Official statistics bear this out with the town showing a significant dryness in relation to our nearest neighbour, Tavistock.'

Over the past year Okehampton has achieved a dryness factor of 31% over Tavistock. In July 2001 for instance, the precipitation of 55mm in Okehampton compared favourably with Tavistock at 109.5. Last month the trend continued, with 80mm in Tavistock against 51mm in Okehampton.

Derek has always been interested in the weather and used to monitor it for the Welsh Tourist Board.

'I use statistics that are available from the town council — and I measure rainfall myself.'

Derek is hoping to get a sunshine recorder to prove the sun does shine as well.

'People say how wet Okehampton is — if it was true I wouldn't mind, it isn't!'