Water everywhere: No sign of drought as Shropshire feels the heat

In fact Severn Trent today revealed that reservoirs in the region are positively brimming with water.

That is good news for gardeners, who have been given the green light to continue watering their plants as they wilt in the hot summer sun.

Reservoirs serving Shropshire and Mid Wales are currently 94 per cent full, after a cool and relatively damp May and June.

You'd think this would be great weather for bees, which could do with a break after a torrid few years fighting to survive amid the dangers of disease and pests.

But the summer sun brings its own challenges.

When temperatures rise, bees collect water to cool the hive and fan their wings at the entrance to reduce the inside temperature.

If it gets too hot within the hive, they will crowd outside the hive on the landing board during the day and even in the evening in a phenomenon called 'bearding'.

The dry conditions also mean there is less nectar being produced by flowers, which in turn make it harder for bees to collect pollen to make honey.

Experts say the country's unpredictable climate is to blame for 15 per cent of the animals being wiped out last winter, along with pests such as varroa mites, which eat infant bees.

Brian Goodwin of Shropshire Beekeepers' Association says his members are starting to see a drop in numbers.

He said: "It is difficult for bees at the moment and it is down to the dry weather and the strong winds.

"Bees don't want to go out if the wind is strong as they struggle to fly, and nectar isn't being produced when the weather is dry.

"When the bees do manage to go out to collect nectar they are coming back with a low supply.

"It is a great concern for us, as it can affect businesses, but bees need the nectar to help them survive throughout the winter.

"And we have noticed that the bees are a lot less active then they have been in previous years. They're just not leaving the hives as much as they should be for this time of year."

Bees are a key link in ensuring plants are pollinated and produce fruit, and are worth more than £200million per year to the economy according to the British Beekeepers Association.

The latest survey of 900 hives by the BBKA reveals that colonies in the west of the country were worst-hit last winter, with a decline of 18 per cent in population.

That was followed by the North East with 15.5 per cent and eastern regions with 14.7 per cent. The losses have risen sharply from the 9.6 per cent national drop over the winter of 2013/14.

Doug Clarke is water efficiency manager at Severn Trent, whose job it is to ensure stocks are maintained.

He said today: "We're in a strong position at the moment as far as our water resources are concerned, and we're not expecting to have any issues this year."

Mr Clarke stressed the need to continue to use water wisely and to only use what is needed, but said it is very unlikely that any formal restrictions will be placed on our region, even if the current heatwave continues.

And he said that, while potted plants need water, it is often best to leave lawns to go brown.

He said: "I would urge people to get into good water usage habits now.

"That means our water supplies will continue to be well placed if we don't get a lot of rain later in the year.

"We all want to keep our gardens looking their best and the temptation is to get the hosepipe or sprinkler out and leave it running.

"But this can use as much as 1,000 litres of drinking water, or 220 gallons, in just one hour – more water than a family of four would normally use in a whole day.

"We're urging gardeners not to worry about the health of their lawns – in fact, watering established lawns is not only unnecessary, but can cause many common lawn problems.

"Watering encourages shallow rooting, which in turn means the lawn is more at risk in dry conditions.

"So once you start watering, you can't stop.

"And when we do get a shower or two, that's probably all your garden needs. And it's also the perfect time to collect rainwater in a water butt, that way you can keep the garden watered without using water from the tap."

Severn Trent has 12 reservoirs and waterways serving the region, including Lake Vyrnwy on the edge of Snowdonia and the Trimpley Reservoir on the Severn Valley near Bridgnorth.

Stocks will deplete slightly if the hot weather continues – but are likely to benefit from thunderstorms that are predicted to move into our region from today.

Cancelled trains and events called off as hot spell arrives

Like the chaos caused by the falling of snow in winter, our spell of hot weather has sent Britain into a spin.

Official warnings have been issued, school events cancelled – and in some areas it is simply too hot for our trains.

First Great Western cancelled several fast trains from London Paddington after Network Rail imposed speed restrictions to protect track points. The rail operator instructed train companies to slow down at locations where tracks could buckle.

Commuters have been advised to check their journeys before travelling and carry water and sun cream as the the mercury is predicted to hit up to 35C (95F) today, making Britain hotter than Brazil's Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest in Romania.

It has caused schools to reorganise events to ensure pupils don't overheat, with Burton Borough School in Newport cancelling a planned sponsored walk today.

And unions have demanded bosses to allow workers to dress down in the heat, with TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady saying: "Clearly vest tops and shorts are not suitable attire for all frontline staff, but those not dealing with the public should be able to discard their tights, ties and suits."

The heatwave is being caused by a warm front and tropical air from Europe pushing across the country. Vulnerable groups including the elderly, young children and people with breathing difficulties were today being urged to stay cool.

Dr Angie Bone at Public Health England said there could be more deaths than usual.

She said it seemed "likely" that the Met Office would issue a level 3 heatwave alert – which requires community support for at-risk groups, media alerts about keeping cool and a review of safety at public events.

"It is possible that we will see an excess mortality but it is too early to tell."

However, severe thunderstorms are predicted to strike Shropshire by this afternoon and temperatures will dip tomorrow.