PROBABLY the world's only asparamancer has made her annual predictions using fresh asparagus and with a few exciting forecasts for the year ahead.

Jemima Packington, 60, was originally from Pershore but now lives in Bath.

She has been making predictions from the age of eight and says she inherited her gift from a great aunt who read tea leaves.

Miss Packington tosses spears of the vegetable into the air and makes her predictions for the year ahead by 'reading' the shapes they make where they fall.

One of Jemima’s most remarkable predictions in the past was that Gordon Brown would not only be ousted but also leave politics completely after his election defeat in 2010.

In 2012 she predicted Olympic success for Britain but a dismal performance for the England football team at Euro 2012.

However, some of last year's predictions were a little off-mark. She predicted the winter weather would be remembered for the cold extending well into spring but we have had the mildest December for several decades and that oil prices would rise and the impact felt on the overall economy. In contrast oil prices slumped in 2015 and we enjoy the cheapest petrol and diesel for many years.

However, Miss Packington says her methods are not an exact science. "I have a very good success rate, but because it’s an interpretation you can sometimes be slightly off the mark," she explained.

This year she says the television show X Factor will be a thing of the past and will be consigned into history.

Boris Johnson will be the next leader of the Conservative party.

Zara and Mike Tyndall will announce the patter of more tiny feet.

English asparagus will go from strength to strength- especially as the growing season is extended and she is able to use fresh English asparagus for her predictions.

The troubles with the Far Eastern stock exchanges will resolve themselves and order will be restored.

Harmony in the Middle East will still be a struggle to achieve but the refugee crisis will ease.

Prince Henry of Wales will have an important announcement to make.

The agreement on Climate Change made in Paris will just be ignored.

The British public will rebel about the Nanny State.

Changes at the top of the Labour Party are inevitable. Bye, bye Mr Corbyn.

Miss Packington, however, did not make any predictions regarding the continuing saga surrounding the plane trees in her former town's Broad Street.