UK summer drought: Fears grow as wettest part of England remains 'bone dry'

Last April was the 10th driest on record

Homeowners have been advised to cut back hosepipe usage (Christopher Furlong/Getty)

Fears have been raised that the UK could be in for a summer drought as the wettest inhabited place in England remains “bone dry”.

Rainfall in Seathwaite, Cumbria, typically exceeds two metres each year, but the River Derwent has gone without water for so long the rocks on the riverbed lay exposed.

Reservoir levels in Cornwall are also lower than during the last official water shortage.

Homeowners have been urged to cut down on water use, and advised to take showers instead of baths and wash cars with sponges and buckets of water instead of hoses.

Last April was the 10th driest on record and this winter was the driest for 20 years, according to Met Office figures.

Figures from the Environmental Agency show England received just 34 per cent of its normal rainfall last month.

Water providers, including Thames Water, Affinity and Southern, have said they are monitoring the situation.