THE weather may have been some of the wettest on record, but for some Pembrokeshire residents January was very dry indeed.

The charity Alcohol Concern, which runs the annual Dry January challenge, has been collecting the views of people in Fishguard and Goodwick who committed to spending the first month of 2015 alcohol-free.

Marc Mordey, who manages the charity’s Communities Together Project in the north of the county, said: “What’s been great has been seeing all sorts of people taking a month of alcohol, for all sorts of reasons. We’ve had people wanting to drop bad habits they’ve picked up, people who want to improve their health, and people who just want to clear their head.

“Everyone enjoyed it, although some found it tough. People got great support from their family and friends, as well as a bit of ribbing. It’s all good if it gets people thinking about their drinking.”

Some people did miss their favourite treats – like a drink after a hard day’s work – but the benefits they described included clarity of thought, more energy, getting up in the morning with a clear head and of course, saving money.

Marc added: “The main downside people noted – apart from a bit of stick from their mates – was the challenge of finding decent soft drinks for grown-ups. People found many soft drinks too sweet and some alcohol-free beers too bland. So there’s a gap in the market there for drinks manufactures to go for.”