A storm has erupted over the dismissal of a weather forecaster for his lack of faith in the Meteorological Office's work. Weather analyst Michael Ainsworth left the agency under a cloud after a sudden deluge ruined his lunchtime stroll. The Met Office had predicted a 70% chance of rain but Mr Ainsworth had thought that was just hot air.
"It's a damp and miserable day for us when even our own employees don't believe the forecasts", a Met Office spokesman said. "We are very hot on our staff creating a warm and pleasant climate of confidence in our work and Mr. Ainsworth’s behaviour was disappointing for the time of year. He's got some front. He breezed out of the office in shirt sleeves and our website was soon flooded with sarcastic e-mails from people who’d seen him looking wet and windswept. The incident also unsettled his colleagues and led to a chilly feel in the office at times."
Mr Ainsworth was shocked at his sacking however, having failed to see it coming. "It is true that the Met Office is a high pressure environment but they suddenly came down very heavy on me," he said. "I thought it was just a storm in a teacup at first but the bosses do seem to blow hot and cold. My dismissal was like a bolt from the blue," he explained with a face like thunder.