Will awful August be the wettest for nearly a century?

Then the following will probably come as no surprise.

According to forecasters, Britain is on course for the wettest August since 1912.

Some parts of the country are expected to see more than double the average rainfall for the month.

The wet and windy conditions did not dampen spirits at the V Festival, in Weston Park, Staffordshire, over the weekend

The wettest August was recorded 96 years ago when 7.5 inches (193mm) fell on the country, compared to the overall average for the month of 2.2 inches (58mm).

Forecasters said heavy rain would continue to fall throughout the week and would also be accompanied by gusty winds and cooler temperatures.

The miserable prediction for 'awful August' comes after a weekend deluge wreaked havoc across large parts of Northern Ireland.

Rivers burst their banks, mud slides blocked roads, flood waters submerged properties, and dozens of residents were left stranded in their homes.

Torrential rain has hit many parts of Britain over the past week

So far this month 6.4 inches (163mm) has fallen in Northern Ireland. The average is 3.9 inches (100mm).

In Edinburgh, 5.1 inches (130mm) has already fallen on the city this month, compared to its average total rainfall for August of 3.5 inches (90mm).

In Norwich, 2.7 inches (70mm) has fallen, already 0.7 inches (20mm) more than the city's monthly average.

In Staffordshire, pop fans at the annual V festival at Weston Park had to endure soggy conditions as the rain turned the site into a mudbath.

Met Office forecaster Kevin Hogg said: 'It's certainly a good deal wetter than the average August.

'A lot of places have already had the average August rainfall and we are only halfway through the month.

So far this month 163mm has fallen in Northern Ireland - eclipsing the previous wettest August in 1956 of 161mm.

'Some places might see as much as twice the amount of rain they would normally expect.

'It's definitely going to be a wetter than average August and it could be the wettest on record.'

He said the weather would not improve in the coming days, with yet more rain and wind forecast.

'It's going to be another unsettled week,' he added.

''We are going to see more rain and it's going to be heavy in places.

Miserable: Many a commuter have been soaked through by heavy downpours

'We won't see the torrential rain that we have seen in Northern Ireland over the weekend but it's not going to be pleasant.

'Most of the UK will be wetter than average.

'We are going to see spells of rain pretty much every day in some shape or form. Nowhere is going to escape. It's going to be a mess.'

High winds and heavy rain have battered Britain since the start of the month.

Last week a girl of five drowned in a swollen Cornish river and a man was crushed to death by a tree.

On Tuesday, some parts of the country suffered as much as three weeks' rain in only a few hours.

The South-West was among the areas worst affected by flooding as half a month's rainfall fell in 24 hours in parts of the country.

The summer downpours have also dampened the spirits of tourist bosses across Britain.

Takings have reportedly plummeted as showers lash seaside resorts.

So far this month thunder, torrential rain and gale force winds have forced the Met Office to issue severe weather warnings while the Environment Agency has already warned of flood risks in parts of Wales, the South-West and the Cotswolds.

Full figures on rainfall for the month of August will not be known until September.