ANOTHER weekend was washed out by this atrocious weather.

Avid local car booters like me must be sick as parrots this year - there's not been a decent Sunday since May.

On Sunday I joined thousands at what could have been a terrific fund raising day for Christie Hospital.

We went in search of what the toffs turn out of their attics. We wanted to see the nobs manning their stalls at Arley Hall in Cheshire.

There weren't many bargains to be snatched up I'm afraid. It seemed apparent that Christie's auctioneers had done an antiques roadshow on the stuff and advised on top prices - vases at over £1,000; pictures from £400 etc.

No bad thing when the funds go to Christies Against Cancer, but very disappointing for the ordinary folk who queued up in pouring rain in a bid to pick up a prized cast off for a song.

The show was a terrific idea with bars, a brass band and loads of stalls. But the rain just teemed down from the start and the visitors were forced to squelch about in a quagmire.

What a difference to the day - and to the fundraising - just a little ray of sunshine could have made.

The untrustworthy weather in this country spoils everything.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.