South West Water has applied for a ban on non-essential water use for some businesses across parts of Devon and West Dorset, after a lack of significant rainfall following the hottest summer on record.

Southern Water’s Bewl Water reservoir has staged an astonishing recovery thanks to weeks of winter rain - from a low of just under 33 per cent full at the start of December, the level hit 75 per cent on 12 February.

Affinity Water is warning that the risk of drought and water restrictions in 2018 is increasing – the company’s groundwater resources have remained below average all year following the very dry winter in 2016/17.