The Met Office research found that temperatures in the centre of England have warmed by one degree celsius since 1960. Drawing on a unique temperature record that dates back to 1659, the authors say that humans are at least partly responsible for the recent rise.
Campaigners claim that profound changes to the British climate will be experienced within a generation, if the trend recorded in the research continues.
The research is the first time that the human cause of climate change has been pinpointed to such a specific geographical area.
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