MANY people thought Graham Fullarton's head was in the clouds when he said more than a month ago that Bolton would enjoy an Indian summer.

But yesterday, as office and shop workers in Bolton town centre basked in balmy temperatures of up to 20 degrees celsius, no one could doubt the amateur meteorologist's forecasts.

Graham made his forecasts back in August from a weather station in the back garden of his Turton home.

Figures so far this autumn suggest that Bolton may have had the least number of rainy days since records began.

Mr Fullarton said figures reveal Bolton had just four rainy days in September, with a mere 43mm of rain -- 39mm of which fell in one day.

The unseasonal September weather has certainly been a talking point among the town's gardeners, who are still seeing blooms from flowers more associated with summer than the autumn months. And Mr Fullarton believes the town will enjoy high temperatures for at least another couple of weeks, with the frost not expected to hit until at least mid-October.

He said: "I knew it would be an Indian summer because there has been the classic weather pattern of a warm autumn.

"The warmer weather means tender plants such as clematis and annuals are still flowering happily -- and it could continue until at least mid-October.

But one question Mr Fullarton is keeping tight-lipped about is whether there will be a white Christmas.

"It's too early to say at the moment," he said.

As part of a national study to monitor Britain's climate, Mr Fullarton is now looking at whether his figures break all records.

He is in no doubt that the town's eco-system is changing, with the climate getting warmer.