The situation was outlined at a meeting of the National Drought Group following the driest July on record, and negligible rainfall so far this month - with more hot weather on the way.

While rivers, reservoirs and groundwater continue to decline, arable farmers have reported their earliest harvests in 20 years, with some of the worst cereal yields in decades.

The Environment Agency says irrigation restrictions on farmers are increasing, with 1,534 now in place in East Anglia. Around 300 of the region's abstractors are in the process of having to reduce the amount they can take from rivers by 50pc to protect the environment, due to exceptionally low flows.

And 14 abstractors in the Wensum catchment in Norfolk have been ordered stop due to low water flows and the potential impact on the environment.

Livestock farmers have been forced to use winter animal feed stocks earlier than........

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