IT causes motion sickness, upsets partially sighted people, downgrades Northerners and has baffled anyone wondering whether it's nice out.

But BBC TV's zooming, swooshing new weather forecasts have at least one group of fans: the meteorological experts at Askham Bryan College outside York.

While ITV rejected the very same £1 million 3D software because it was "too confusing", there is an altogether sunnier response from Mike Elliott and his colleagues at the college weather station.

"We like the fact there's more data, there's more information and it seems more up-to-date," said Mike, a senior science technician.

"The negative is that it's confusing, at least initially, for people seeing something new." He was concerned that the lack of isobars, the lines that denote bands of atmospheric pressure, might be a sign of "dumbing down".

And the new graphics take a little getting used to. "When they had the rain on, and I saw all this blue stuff coming over the land mass, I thought it was flooding." Another drawback is the perspective which makes southern England appear colossal, northern England look insignificant and Scotland taper out into nothingness.

But Mike said that was balanced by the extra detail about individual cities and predicted rainfall times.

Askham Bryan College sends its weather data to the Met Office by the hi-tech method of posting a monthly letter. So what does the future hold, Mike? "We've heard lots of rumours about it being a really hot summer. Last August was the wettest on record. We have just got to hope I suppose."

THANK you to Charlotte Dootson of the York Museums Trust, who kindly gave the Diary a sneak preview of the new art installation at York St Mary's, after we barged in in the mistaken belief that it was already open.

Entitled Breathing Space, the specially commissioned work by Caroline Broadhead is quite magical. When viewed from above, a layer of white wadding, suspended from the ceiling, makes it look as if the church is floating above the clouds.

Do go and have a look at the exhibition, next door to Jorvik. But please wait until it is actually open - from this Saturday. Meanwhile, look out for an interview with the artist in our York 24-Seven supplement tomorrow.

WE were delighted to see Christa Ackroyd and Harry Gration of BBC Look North take the award for the best presentation team at the Ruby Television Awards in York.

And the Diary has a photograph which shows how Christa has endeared herself to the ordinary viewer wherever she goes.

Taken from a live report from Leeds, the picture shows the intrepid anchorwoman broadcasting in the light of a full moon. This is one BBC clip which "bares" a repeat.

Updated: 09:32 Thursday, May 19, 2005