SIR - During this recent heat wave we have frequently heard meteorologists making comparisons with the famous summer of 1976. Like this summer and most of our best summers, the summer of '76 started with an Azores high in the Atlantic which later lead to hot weather across Britain. However 1976 wasn't the longest summer, (it didn’t begin until June 23), or the driest like 1995. It was famous because for a three-week period temperatures hit 30 degrees or higher daily somewhere across the UK.

Because of such sustained heat and sunshine it stayed in the memories of anyone either growing up in or having to work through such a summer. Because it was so exceptional, people forget other great summers. 1975 apparently was nearly as good and would have been classed as exceptional at any other time. I also remember the summers of 1983 and 1984 to be good and also 1989 being a very long summer and 1990 being similar.

Do other readers remember other good forgotten summers not mentioned above or good memories from the greatest British summer?

George Hitchcock, Southlands, Baildon