Britain's Thames Water announced a temporary "hosepipe ban" on Monday, aimed at cutting water usage across large parts of southern England, following the country's driest and warmest spring in over a century.

A hosepipe ban affecting several postcode areas has been announced by Thames Water. The water firm said the measure would come into place across Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire on Tuesday 22 July due to a lack of rain and increasing demand, which had stretched supplies.

Thames Water has announced a hosepipe ban affecting 1.1mn customers across several areas in southern England in an effort to preserve water following persistent dry and warm weather.