Parts of England are officially in a drought following the dry spring, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said.

英国环境、食品和农村事务部表示，受春季干燥的影响，英格兰部分地区正面临干旱。

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has urged restraint on household water use
Areas of East Anglia are in drought, with parts of the south-west and south-east of England, the Midlands and Wales in a "near-drought" state.

In the drought-affected areas, Anglian Water and Cambridge Water say there is no threat to public water supplies.

But Severn Trent Water says there may be restrictions¹ if rainfall stays low.

Both the south-east and central-southern regions of England have had their driest spring on record.

Across England and Wales as a whole it has been the driest spring since 1990.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is set to hold a second drought summit to review the impacts of the continuing dry weather.

She said: "Water companies are confident that supplies are high enough so that widespread restrictions to the public are unlikely. We're doing all we can to reduce the impact on agriculture and wildlife, but everyone can play their part.

"Households know how to use less water and everyone can do their bit to use water more wisely, not only through the summer, but throughout the year."