Almost three quarters of England is now in drought, with officials warning conditions under the record-breaking dry spell are 'worsening'.
More than 27million people in England and Wales are under hosepipe bans after the driest-ever July – which saw some parts of the country receive just 1 per cent of the expected rainfall.
The National Drought Group today found that 71.3 per cent of England is under drought conditions, with around 45million people affected.
The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs became the latest areas to receive the classification.
Conditions in affected regions have been described as a flash drought – which is one that develops rapidly and is brought about by very low rainfall and higher temperatures.
