We at the Watford Observer share Michael's pain

8:00am Friday 4th April 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

REMEMBER Michael Fish, the weather forecaster unfortunate enough to not predict the "Great Storm of 1987"?

The blame for the unprecedented damage and destruction caused by the hurricane that swept across southern England that year was laid firmly at his feet.

And for the past 20 years, he has faced constant humiliation from the media and members of the public whenever the freakishly strong gale is mentioned.

Here at the Watford Observer, our merry band of reporters frequently share his pain as regular readers of our weather report, found each week on Page 2, will testify.

By using sources that turn out to be as reliable as the "friend" who dishes the dirt on an A-List celebrity's drug habit, our predictions are invariably the very opposite of what will happen over the forthcoming week.

Indeed, our forecasting has been so spectacularly bad that it is sometimes considered a good idea to predict rain, just to make sure the weekend ahead will be filled with sunshine.

That trend, however, has been turned on its head by the astonishing revelation that last week's forecast proved to be practically perfect in every way.

Those who were not surprised to see scatterings of snow covering their cars and perfectly manicured lawns on Easter Sunday would have read it first in the Watford Observer.

So kudos, high fives and general backslapping to fellow scribe John Harrison, who was reportedly spotted out sledging after correctly forseeing a white Easter.

Will this fortuitous occasion now bring forth a new sequence of totally accurate, 100 per cent foolproof weather forecasting? I predict not.

POLITICIANS certainly know how to get a journalist's attention. Whether they inform us of scandal, turn a story on its head with an outrageous soundbite or let fire at their rival party, they know how to get themselves mentioned among our pages.

Step forward then South Oxhey Labour Councillor Kerron Cross, who has not only used his online blog to post this picture of himself but has even invited us, his local newspaper, to catch a glimpse of him fully kitted, or should that be kilted, out in traditional Scottish dress.

Perhaps some background information is needed, as although Councillor Cross has previously appeared in the Diary wearing a dress, this time around there was a more convincing explanation.

When his legs last appeared, he had dressed for the part of Miss Rickmansworth.

Now, however, he is fully engaged in preparations for his wedding to fiancée Linsay and as such, was in Edinburgh over the bank holiday weekend to embark on a spot of kilt shopping.

While his effort to dress up for the big day is to be applauded, it is his contribution to the wedding arrangements with which I sympathise.

Councillor Cross writes: "I only have one important factor that I'd like to be taken into account.

"That the wedding not be held when Watford are playing at home."

AND finally, if imitation is the best form of flattery, then a string of Bushey past and present reporters should feel very pleased with themselves this week.

Martin Booth, John Harrison and incumbent Filip Hnizdo have together written thousands of words about the state, and future, of vacant Ministry of Defence housing in the village over the past couple of years.

What should then appear on the BBC website on Monday? An indepth article about MoD housing, in Bushey. Where the Watford Observer leads, others follow!