2007 set to be 'one of warmest'

This year's spring was the second warmest on record

This year is set to be one of the warmest on record in Scotland, environmental campaigners say.

WWF Scotland has analysed Met Office figures and concluded that the last month in particular had been exceptionally warm, dull and wet.

June was warmer and wetter than average and the spring season in Scotland was the second-warmest ever.

The summer of 2006 was unusually warm, and thanks to an exceptional autumn, the year as a whole broke all records.

WWF Scotland's director, Dr Richard Dixon, said the Scottish government's Climate Change Bill should be welcomed.

'Very wet'

But he said the target of reducing greenhouse gases by 80% before 2050 did not remove the need to take action now.

"While the proposed target is very welcome, we need action now, even before the bill is written to make sure we don't loose momentum in addressing our contribution to climate change," he said.

"Scotland escaped the major flooding which hit the north of England but it was still a very wet June here.

"Yet again people felt it was cool but the temperatures were actually still nearly a degree above the long-term averages, with 2007 still on course to be one of the warmest years on record."