WEATHER experts at the University of Reading have confirmed that November was the the most dull month since records began.

Using specialist equipment to capture and record the amount of light beaming down the team of meteorologists found there were only 18.4 hours of bright sunshine last month.

A total of 17 days out of 30 were completely sunless marking the lowest sunshine levels since before 1956 when the university started its light records.

Dr Roger Brugge, of the University’s Department of Meteorology, said: "During November in Reading we would expect to see about 63 hours of sunshine.

"In fact, in the past 60 years only the months of December 1956 (with 7.8 hours) and December 2010 (when 13.4 hours were recorded) have been duller months than November 2015 at any time of the year.

"November's average temperature was about 2.5c higher than average making it the third mildest November in the past 108 years in Reading (just behind 1994 and 2011)."

Previously the most dull November in Reading was in 1962 when only 32 hours of sunshine were recorded.

Experts use a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder to measure the amount of light.

However Dr Brugge said there was a slight upside to the dullness as the cloud coverage blocking the sun also meant there were relatively few nights with frost and a month of milder weather than normal.

Temperature records began in 1908 at the university and details can be found in recently published book co-written by Dr Brugge or only at www.met.reading.ac.uk/ReadingWeather.html