Drone footage captures drought‑stricken fields in England after record‑dry July

A drone‑captured video released on Tuesday shows extensive dry, cracked soil and wilted crops across several English counties, a visual confirmation of the country’s driest July on record. The Met Office reported that rainfall for the month fell to just 30 percent of the long‑term average, with some regions receiving less than half the typical amount, prompting the Environment Agency to issue heightened drought alerts for the southeast and Midlands.

The footage, taken over fields in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, illustrates the immediate impact on arable farming, with growers reporting delayed sowing and lower expected yields for wheat and barley. Water‑resource managers have warned that reservoir levels are at their lowest for this time of year, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has advised farmers to adopt water‑saving measures while monitoring soil moisture. Officials said the situation will be reviewed weekly as the country moves into the autumn growing season.