autumn sunshine blessed the funeral of amateur weather forecaster Bill Foggitt.

Mr Foggitt, of Thirsk, died in hospital last week at the age of 91.

For years he continually outshone professional meteorologists by using his own methods of predicting the weather. Instead of technology, he used the behaviour of plants, animals and insects as a guide.

He was a well known personality in and around Thirsk, but achieved international fame when he out-forecast Michael Fish.

The funeral took place on Friday at St James Methodist Church in the town. Its notice-board carried a quotation from scientist Benjamin Franklin, which read 'some are weatherwise, some are otherwise.'

The Rev Geoffrey Bruce, who conducted the service, said everyone could learn from Mr Foggitt's dedication to nature. He said: "He reminded us of the importance of the world around us. He was a warm, open and quiet personality with a fund of stories about all sorts of things."