As we slip reluctantly into autumn, see what you recall of a summer marked by heatwaves, fierce storms and drama on the cricket field

Sudbury Mercury: Bananarama played at Newmarket Racecourse. How well do you know their back catalogue? Picture: Raph_PHBananarama played at Newmarket Racecourse. How well do you know their back catalogue? Picture: Raph_PH (Image: Archant)

Answers at the end. (No peeping, now...) Good luck!

1. The temperature at Cambridge University Botanic Garden on Thursday, July 25 was the highest ever officially recorded in the UK. What was it?

2. The rate of growth was slowing, suggested figures released in June, but what was the new figure for the population of the UK?

3. In cricket's thrilling third Ashes test - won virtually single-handedly at Headingley by Ben Stokes - England received 31 "extra runs" in their second innings (a mix of no-balls, wides, byes and leg-byes).

How many of England's 11 batsmen scored lower than 31 in that innings?

Sudbury Mercury: That's handy: one picture covers two questions. One about Ed Sheeran; the other about the director of the film Yesterday Picture: Ian West/PAThat's handy: one picture covers two questions. One about Ed Sheeran; the other about the director of the film Yesterday Picture: Ian West/PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

4. Suffolk was gripped by Ed Sheeran fever when pop's local hero came to Ipswich to wrap up his record-breaking Divide tour with four shows on home turf. In which English county was he actually born?

5. How much was a bought-in-advance adult ticket for The Royal Norfolk Show, which took place on June 26 and 27?

6. Who was named, again, as the BBC's best-paid on-screen talent?

7. The Canaries were back in the Premier League. In which country was Norwich City Football Club head coach Daniel Farke born?

Sudbury Mercury: The mighty Ben Stokes. If only England's other batsmen were as good... Picture: Nigel French/PAThe mighty Ben Stokes. If only England's other batsmen were as good... Picture: Nigel French/PA (Image: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

8. Tennis star Simona Halep won the women's title at Wimbledon. In which country was she born?

9. Bananarama played at Newmarket Racecourse. In 1986, one of their songs topped the charts in a clutch of countries (including Australia, Japan and America) but reached only number eight in the UK. What was it?

10. Why were Tube passengers celebrating in July?

11. How did the gloriously-named Rock Buns and Rolling Pins WI branch plan to celebrate Norfolk Day?

Sudbury Mercury: New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. Bit of a clue here to the question about New Zealand... Picture: AFP/Getty ImagesNew Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. Bit of a clue here to the question about New Zealand... Picture: AFP/Getty Images (Image: Archant)

12. England's women's football team was knocked out of the World Cup in the semi-finals. Who beat them?

13. Which creature was said to be so endangered that it could become extinct in our lifetime?

14. What did store chain Boots say it wanted to do by 2020?

15. The Carrow Works factory in Norwich produced its final jar of Colman's Mustard, as a 160-year era came to an end. In which Norfolk village did the firm begin life, in 1814?

Sudbury Mercury: England's Steph Houghton (top), Karen Bardsley and Ellen White (right) celebrate victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup, quarter final in France. It would be a different story in the semi-final Picture: John Walton/PAEngland's Steph Houghton (top), Karen Bardsley and Ellen White (right) celebrate victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup, quarter final in France. It would be a different story in the semi-final Picture: John Walton/PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

16. Which fashion designer helped organise Lowestoft's First Light Festival, which celebrated the summer solstice at the UK's most easterly point?

17. A British Medical Association investigation found the NHS was paying how much a year to private firms to treat patients with serious mental illness?

18. Name the director of the East Anglian-centred Richard Curtis film Yesterday. (He was also artistic director of the London 2012 Olympics' opening ceremony.)

19. The BBC confirmed it would make most over-75s pay for their TV licence once more. How much is the annual licence?

Sudbury Mercury: How many people play Candy Crush for three hours or more a day? Picture: Steve AdamsHow many people play Candy Crush for three hours or more a day? Picture: Steve Adams (Image: Archant)

20. Paul Browse and mother-in-law Janet Coleman took the men's and women's honours in which competition, held at The Locks Inn, Geldeston, near Beccles?

21. What did Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Krakow, Munich, Paris, Valencia and Vienna do in June?

22. A rare 18th Century Chinese vase, put up for sale when a Felixstowe man moved to a care home, was expected to go for between £10,000 and £20,000. What did it actually make at auction?

23. What could New Zealanders look forward to doing, in future, while buying their bread, milk and groceries?

Sudbury Mercury: Simona Halep took the women's crown at Wimbledon. Which country does she come from? Picture: Adam Davy/PASimona Halep took the women's crown at Wimbledon. Which country does she come from? Picture: Adam Davy/PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

24. Builders on a site in Europa Way, Ipswich, had a shock when they found what in the dirt?

25. Tennis starlet Cori Gauff made her debut at Wimbledon and defeated her idol, Venus Williams, in her first grand slam match. How old was Cori?

26. What kept the bands off-stage for about an hour during the Saturday of the Latitude Festival near Southwold?

27. According to scientists, the average person unwittingly eats how many particles of microplastic a year (and breathes in a similar number)?

Sudbury Mercury: The Prince of Wales. What role did he get this summer? Picture: Ian BurtThe Prince of Wales. What role did he get this summer? Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2018)

28. Some unusual rubbish in about four-dozen black bin-bags was dumped illegally at Henstead, near Lowestoft. What?

29. Who - or what - walked more than 2,000 miles from Norway to Canada in 76 days?

30. With the summer sun beating down, rehearsals were already underway for what was believed to be a town's first professional pantomime. Which seaside resort was getting this particular Jack and the Beanstalk for Christmas?

31. Tesco announced it was giving store and warehouse workers a significant pay rise over the next two years. By how much, in percentage terms?

32. For which club did striker James Norwood play before joining League One newbies Ipswich Town on a free transfer?

33. New political party Change UK had 11 MPs before the disastrous European Union election results saw a number quitting. How many MPs did it have when the dust settled?

34. What did Avenue Junior School in Norwich ask parents to help with over the summer?

35. An executive from the firm behind online game Candy Crush told a Commons select committee about the number of people who played it for three hours or more a day. What was that number? (He was talking about a worldwide audience.)

36. Which two Suffolk resorts featured in Which? magazine's list of the top 10 British seaside towns? And which Essex resort shared the "worst seaside town" title with Bognor Regis?

37. Which city became the first in the United States to ban the sale of e-cigarettes?

38. When President Trump began a state visit to the UK, how many guns were fired during a military salute?

39. Of which organisation did Prince Charles become a patron?

40. What warning did French poultry breeders issue at the end of July?

ANSWERS

1. 38.7C

2. 66.4million

3. Seven

4. West Yorkshire

5. £22

6. Match of the Day anchorman Gary Lineker, on a cool £1.75million

7. West Germany

8. Romania

9. Venus

10. They learned they were getting 4G phone reception from 2020. The technology will come first to the Jubilee line and then extend to other London Underground lines

11. By handing out home-made rock buns to the people of North Walsham

12. The United States

13. The eel. The Environment Agency's Jez Wood, who monitors the number of migrating eels in Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, warned us the fish was finding life tough. Overfishing, barriers in rivers and climate change were blamed

14. Stop using plastic bags in its shops - replacing them with brown paper bags, in a switch that would stop it issuing 40million plastic bags a year

15. Stoke Holy Cross

16. Wayne Hemingway

17. £181million

18. Danny Boyle

19. £154.50

20. The World Thumb Wrestling Championships

21. Asked the European Union for help to rein in firms such as Airbnb and other holiday rental websites, which they claim are depriving local people of housing opportunities and changing the character of some neighbourhoods

22. £200,000

23. Vote for their next prime minister. Changes to voting laws envisaged ballot boxes being installed in supermarkets and shopping centres

24. A red and white, and luckily non-venomous, albino milk snake measuring about a foot and a half

25. Fifteen

26. Heavy rain and, mainly, the threat of lightning

27. At least 50,000

28. Remnants of cannabis plants

29. A female arctic fox, crossing on sea-ice and tracked by the Norwegian Polar Institute, who amazed researchers with her speed and distance covered

30. Southwold - at Southwold Arts Centre

31. 10.45%

32. Tranmere Rovers

33. Five

34. Tasks such as decorating and gardening. In an appeal for volunteers, a letter from the head teacher cited cutbacks in the school budget

35. 9.2million

36. Southwold and Aldeburgh. Clacton-on-Sea

37. San Francisco

38. Forty-one

39. The Faculty of Homeopathy

40. That the heatwave in Europe could lead to shortages of Christmas turkeys in the UK. Apparently, high temperatures had caused the loss of many eggs