Police have blamed a sharp rise in domestic violence on the weather claiming rain drives up attacks.
Officers in Devon and Cornwall said bad weather leads to partners with stranded indoors too much and the resulting “cabin fever” increases the chances of violent outbursts.
They even said a recent increase in the number of houses being built may also have been behind a 37 percent increase in attacks last year.
But one local councillor dismissed the excuses as “strange” and warned there was a danger police could overlook the true causes of domestic abuse.
The comments came from Sergeant Andy Turner in a meeting with Sidmouth Town Council, which has also seen two new housing developments in its area.
The number of violent incidents in the town and surrounding area increased to 124 between August 2011 and August 2012 – compared to 90 in the previous 12 months.
Sgt Turner told the councillors: “ People get cabin fever locked in a house together. Domestic violence is not just in one place, it would surprise you where it happens – it's right across the spectrum."
However, he said the bad weather may also have helped a decline in overall crime which fell from 526 to 427 over the same period.
Offences such as criminal damage and anti-social behaviour were particularly affected, the officer suggested.
Yesterday, Detective Inspector John Trott said that in the previous 24 hours alone there had been 75 domestic abuse incidents recorded across the whole of Devon and Cornwall.
The area was hit by heavy rain in recent days.
But councillor Stuart Hughes, chairman of Sidmouth Town Council, doubted the comments.
“It seemed a strange thing to blame a rise in domestic violence on the weather. I know the weather gets blamed for a lot of things but this is a new one on me. I would question whether that is the case.”