OXFORDSHIRE faces a summer washout with tourism, business, farmers, sport and community events all affected by the ongoing downpours.

June was one of the county’s wettest since records began and last night weather experts warned it was not over yet.

Forecasts for July warn of more heavy showers over the next four weeks, which includes the visit of the Olympic Torch through the county next week.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) said they were monitoring the situation following poor weather when it visited other parts of the country.

Fetes, festivals and cricket matches in Oxfordshire have all fallen foul of the unsettled weather over the past couple of weeks.

Charlbury Riverside Festival, which was due to take place on June 16 has been postponed and rescheduled for July 29.

The Wolvercote and Wytham Festival last week had to move its ‘Fun on the Green’ into the village hall.

Organisers of the month’s biggest events are remaining hopeful.

Andy Pickard, of the Charlbury festival, said weather in the run-up to the original event had been much worse.

He said: “It was just the fear of flooding for us.

“We haven’t heard anything to suggest we would need to cancel and we are hopeful.”

Cricket games held over the weekend faced delays between play due to the downpours.

And just yesterday the finals of Oxford CC’s Chance To Shine primary schools’ cricket competition for under-12s was cancelled.

Suzi Golding, director of Visit Oxfordshire, said she had noticed a decline in footfall in the county.

She said: “We have noticed in our visitor information centres that it has not been as busy as we would have expected it to be at this time of year. Some of that will be down to domestic visitors who are coming for last-minute short breaks away. I think a lot of people will see the forecast and decide to stay at home instead.”

She hoped the Olympics would create a boost.

The Olympic Torch is due to visit next Monday and Tuesday.

A LOCOG spokesman said: “The Torch Relay, the Torchbearers and the amazing number of spectators that have come to cheer them on have encountered some bad weather conditions in recent weeks.

“London 2012 will work with local partners in Oxfordshire to monitor the situation and plan for any implications adverse weather conditions may have on the relay route or associated events.”

Businesses have also been affected by the rain.

Farmer Camilla Puzey, from Little Wittenham, said their main concern was bringing in hay to feed their flock of sheep during the winter.

She said: “This time last year we had all our hay cut and ready for the winter.

“In fact, the fields were so brown we were concerned about having enough grass.

“This year it is a completely different story.

“The worst-case scenario is that we need to make haylage, which is when you can’t dry the hay but wrap it up in plastic instead.

“And we just don’t have the cash for that. We haven’t done it for many years.

“ So we’re not sure what we are going to do.”

Young Logan Bryan did not let the rain get in the way of his swim at Hinksey Pools.

The eight-year-old was taking part in a sponsored swim for water-based development projects in Oxford’s twin town of Leon, Nicaragua.

June saw 151.7mm of rain fall, more than 98mm more than the expected rainfall for that time of year in the city.

A Met office forecaster said the country could expect heavy showers, and perhaps thunder over the next 14 days.

He added: “However, towards the end of the month it looks as though we should start to see a more settled pattern to the weather with more in the way of dry, bright and warm conditions.”