The Met Office Meteorological Unit at Cardington, Bedfordshire, operated a Thies laser disdrometer, a laser optical device used for the measurement of diameter and fall velocity of hydrometeors. From such measurements, it is possible to classify different types of precipitation, such as drizzle, rain, hail, snow, and mixed precipitation, quantify precipitation in a time interval, and derive size and velocity joint distribution. Thies laser disdrometer can in addition detect fine drizzle, drop fall speed and drop size distribution.