The Environment Agency (EA) made the changes after September became the sixth month this year with less-than-average rainfall - including just 52pc recorded in the East of England.

The drought has already hit this summer's harvest yields and soils are still very dry - prompting recent warnings that 120pc of average rainfall is needed during the coming seven months for the entire country to be out of drought by next spring.

To help food growers prepare for "continuous drought conditions", the EA has announced that eligible farmers with winter abstraction licences can refill........

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