Allo! Here comes the rain again?

Rain Chains prove the 'splash hit' garden accessory despite it being the hottest and driest year on record.

Reports that April was the hottest month on record for over 100 years have baffled the owners of a quirky new homes and interiors website.

For despite the sunny weather - and lack of a good downpour - Alife-lessordinary.co.uk has been inundated with requests for.... copper rain chains!

The rain chains catch falling raindrops and channel them over copper tulip and lily cups in a fountain effect, collecting the water into a decorative splash bowl.

Alife-lessordinary.co.uk is helping thousands of people transform their house into a home by providing unsual, stylish, decorative and value-for-money accessories.

"We were dumbfounded receiving all the orders for the copper rain chains because the weather has been so glorious!" said Jane Trozzo, the inspiration behind Alife-lessordinary.co.uk.

"Rain chains which have been used for hundreds of years in Japan and apart from looking elegant and beautiful, provide a meditative, calming effect. Maybe people are buying them as solace from the troubled times we live in.

"They were originally designed as decorative downspouts for guttering but can be hung anywhere in the garden for effect. It could be as simple people wanting to use them to collect any rain we have in the splash bowls after warnings about hose pipe bans!

"If this weather continues, every raindrop will be precious. The rain chains are eco-friendly too!"

Alife-lessordinary.co.uk is a popular web-based company offering an extensive range of home and garden accessories with a distinct and individual edge - you won't find on the highstreet.

Products suit a range of budgets and include everything from jute floor cushions and chunky kitchen jars to luxurious antique design lighting and quirky garden twine holders.

Fans are so addicted to the diversity of styles, from subtle and understated to fabulously funky and quintessentially kitsch, they've dubbed the company ALLO! to sum up its individual and quirky feel!
The website has undergone a fabulous new makeover and features stunning photography.

The rain chains are solid copper and almost 2.5 metres in length. They will weather naturally and take on a beautiful verdigris patina. The rain cups to catch the raindrops come in tulip and lily designs and the splashbowl is sold separately. ALLO! guarantees a constantly changing stock for all occasions and every season of the year.