Severe drought has been declared in parts of England, amid concerns over dwindling reservoirs as extremely dry conditions continue.
The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September for more than a century, affecting reservoirs in those areas, officials said.
As a result, “severe drought” – in which a lack of water affects daily life and the environment in major ways, and can have extensive, lasting effects on farming, people, communities, the economy and nature – has been declared in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Water companies have been told to step up drought planning, amid efforts to protect public water supplies in the affected areas.