IT may have been the month of unexpected downpours, thunderstorms and a freak sea mist – but the June temperature in Dorset was exactly average.

The Met Office said the month’s average daytime figure of 18.6 C was exactly what they would expect.

The month finished well to boost temperatures but high winds, overcast skies and rainfall seemed to dominate during the middle of the month.

The rainfall station at Hurn recorded 80.9mm of rain by June 27, which is 36 per cent more than the monthly average.

One place celebrating the occasional downpours was Bovington’s Tank Museum which enjoyed a record number of visitors for the month, at 21,114.

Director Richard Smith said: “The rain is good for us – we had a weak Easter when the weather was good.”

Hoteliers said the wildly changing weather produced massive variations in last minute bookings.

Debbie Payne, head of Boscombe Spa Resorts limited, said: “June was a very peculiar month.

“If the sun was out the phones rang and the online bookings poured in. If it was bad, nothing happens.

“That’s the English weather for you. Trade wasn’t phenomenal but it wasn’t dreadful either.”

The outbreaks of heavy rain hit events that usually take place in blazing sun like Poole Festival of Running and the Summer Solstice run at Moors Valley.

Wimborne Folk Festival had a record number of visitors on Saturday but Sunday’s schedule was devastated by rain.

But despite freak conditions like low lying mist rolling in from Poole Bay last Sunday, June 26, the rain was not consistently bad enough to seriously effect trade.

Iain Brown, MD at Sandy Balls Holiday Centre near Fordingbridge, said: “Trade was pretty buoyant even with the weather.

“We do tend to have an increase in secondary spend when the sun is shining because people eat more, they will do more activities.”

Des Simmons, of Bournecoast Property Agents and Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), said members reported a decent month.

Their comments included “Despite the weather being not as consistent the weekends have been strong” and “June was very busy, mostly repeat business booked earlier in the year”.