Severn Trent Water has not ruled out the possibility of a hosepipe ban for the Ashby area this August - as more heat warnings have been issued by the Met Office.

Forecasters have announced an amber warning for North West Leicestershire and much of the UK from Thursday, August 11 until Sunday, 14, with temperatures tipped to reach 34C locally on Friday.

The Met Office has warned that adverse health effects are likely to be experienced by those vulnerable to extreme heat.

But Severn Trent told Nub News that while there are no immediate plans for a hosepipe ban, the utility provider will continue to monitor the situation.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said: "Our region has seen a dry start to the year, only seeing 67 per cent of the rainfall usually expected between April - June 2022.

"However, there hasn't been a hosepipe ban in our region for more than 27 years (since 1995), and as we do every year, we continue to monitor reservoir levels and demand for water closely.

"We'd like to thank all of our customers for their support in being mindful about non-essential water use as the warm and dry weather continues into the summer."

Elsewhere in the UK, South East Water has announced that it will restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers in Kent and Sussex from Friday, August 12 until further notice.

Thames Water says it plans to introduce a hosepipe ban 'within weeks'