THE recent rain may be bad for the flooded pubs on Ramsgate seafront, but it was a lifeline for brewer Shepherd Neame.

For the Faversham-based brewery, the rain saved their hop harvest, which was getting a little parched after the hot summer (weren't we all?).

Head brewer David Holmes said: "Thanks to the recent rain, and with more sunshine and showers predicted, we expect to see the cones flourish, resulting in a high-quality harvest."