Homeowners in parts of Britain have been told to reduce their water consumption because of a WINTER drought.
East Anglia has experienced some of the lowest levels of rainfall since records began this year, heightening fears of a water shortage next summer.
The counties of Cambridgeshire, South Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire only had HALF the normal rainfall during September and October and with the mild weather continuing this month there are concerns the water reserves will reach a critical level next summer.
Anglian Water has now applied for a winter drought permit, so it can drain extra water from the River Nene to feed its reservoirs in Pitsford and Rutland Water, which are only half full. Farmers are also irrigating at night time to reduce the amount of water evaporating as the November weather is so warm.
Thousands of British poinsettias are still GREEN compared to this time last year as UK farmers struggle in the credit crunch with high heating and growing costs.
These incredible photos show the wonderful array of wildlife which can be found hidden in Britain's endangered wetlands.
A new species of sea creature, which has never been seen anywhere else before, has been discovered on the world’s longest underwater chalk reef – off the coast of NORFOLK.
Everyone claims to hate them so not all will be pleased to hear this Christmas is set to be a BUMPER year for British Brussels SPROUTS - which are 20 PER CENT BIGGER than normal.
British farmers say it has been an exceptionally good year for the much-loathed green vegetable which has ripened THREE WEEKS early this year. This year's crop of sprouts is also bigger - weighing 25g instead of 20g - sweeter and more flavoursome, thanks to the unusually warm winter weather.
"It has been a really good year for sprouts and the yields are much higher than they have been for the past six years," said John Lankfer, who grows 70 acres of sprouts on his farm in Wisbech, Cambs.
The OLDEST rose growers in Britain are celebrating after the hot sunny weather caused their bumper crop of flowers to bloom an incredible THREE WEEKS early.
Cants Roses, which were established in 1765, say it is the best year for roses in living memory and the earliest their field of flowers has blossomed in 35 YEARS. Owner Roger Pawsey says the long sunny days have made this year’s crop of roses more vibrant and colourful than he can ever remember.
Wisteria is producing exceptionally stunning displays in Britain’s parks and gardens this year thanks to a long cold winter and the unusually warm April weather.
Its beautiful lavender and violet blooms which usually signal the start of summer have surprised gardeners by opening TWO WEEKS earlier after the UK’s mini heatwave.
A British birdwatcher has become the first in the WORLD to successfully find all 32 species of the planet’s most SECRETIVE birds in just 12 months.
Chris Gooddie has stunned birdwatchers by tracking down every species of the rare and elusive rainforest bird, the Pitta, in a year.
Divers have discovered the WORLD’S LONGEST underwater chalk reef – off the coast of NORFOLK.
The incredible 20 MILE chalk reef, which is teaming with colourful fish, plants and wildlife, has remained hidden under the North Sea for 300 million years.
Cherry blossom is blooming FOUR WEEKS earlier in Britain this year thanks to the recent warm weather.
The sunny spring days have helped the beautiful pink and white buds open more than a MONTH early in parts of the country.
Children are making daisy chains by the dozen this summer after the mix of wet and warm weather produced plants with extra LONG stalks.
An abundance of the most spectacular daisies in 15 YEARS have been popping up in parks and gardens across Britain.
Families are being urged to help save Britain’s moths and bats from decline by spotting these nocturnal creatures in their back gardens.
There are 2,500 different types of moth in this country but since the 1970s numbers have fallen by a third in the UK and nearly half in the South of England.
For the first time in 40 YEARS not a single daffodil has bloomed in time for Britain’s biggest Daffodil Festival.
More than 10,000 people from all over the UK visit the tiny village of Thriplow in Hertfordshire each year to admire its hosts of golden daffodils.
This may look like the heart of Holland but incredibly little two-year-old Isabella Ward is tiptoeing through the tulips in the middle of the English countryside.
The Norfolk landscape is a kaleidoscope of colours as the tulips finally burst into life after a later than average Spring.