In a concept not that far removed from those of futuristic movies, thousands of robots will be taking to the oceans to help provide better weather forecasts. The 5ft long, torpedo shaped robots will be able to predict weather conditions more than a month in advance.

Some 3,000 robots will be swept along by ocean currents more than a mile beneath the sea. Every ten days the robots will float to the surface to send their recorded data to orbiting the earth. Each robot costs £10,000 and will keep running on its internal batteries for an estimated five years.

The £24million venture involves fourteen countries. Britain will spend £3million over the next five years launching 150 of the robots into the sea.