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Record rainfall to prolonged dry spell in village

Alistair Binneyin Astwood Bank
BBC A cricket pitch with dead, brown grass and only patches of green grass int he distance. There are black rain covers on the pitch with green trees in the backgroundBBC
The pitch at Astwood Bank Cricket Club is struggling in this year's heat

A village in Worcestershire that recorded more than 40 consecutive days of rain at the start of the year has now gone a similar length of time without any significant rainfall.

In February, Astwood Bank, near Redditch, was highlighted by the Met Office as one of the wettest places in the country.

On Wednesday, a drought was declared in the West Midlands by the Environment Agency. July has seen just 7% of the expected levels of rainfall in England.

"It's been one of the toughest years in my 26 years here - we've gone from being very, very wet to very dry in a short space of time," said Simon Hathaway, groundsman at Astwood Bank Cricket Club.

"Trying to manage a playing surface and keep it playable has been exceptionally challenging.

"From a watering point of view, we've had some of the lads turning hoses on at eight o'clock at night."

He added that the club had been using a lot of water "to try to keep the ground fit and safe to play on".

A man with a cap on, with blue tinted sunglasses on top of the cap. He has brown and grey facial hair and is wearing a white t-shirt. In the background is a cricket pitch with brown and green grass, and black rain covers
Simon Hathaway said keeping the pitch safe and playable had been very challenging

There is no single definition of drought, but it usually refers to a period of prolonged, unusually dry weather that can have impacts on people, nature and the environment.

The Environment Agency said the effects of such little rainfall in July were already being felt - including low river flows, early harvests and high risk of wildfires.

Millions of people are already under hosepipe bans, although this is not the case for the West Midlands at this stage.

A man with very short brown hair and brown and grey facial hair is smiling. He is wearing a blue t-shirt and there are plants behind him on shelves in an outdoor area
Jamie Ratcliffe said the hot weather had been a challenge for staff

It is not only sports clubs in Astwood Bank feeling the effects of the dry weather.

Botany Bay Nurseries, Garden Centre and Cafe said it was working hard to maintain its plants and stock.

Managing Director Jamie Ratcliffe said the lack of rain had created significant challenges for staff.

"With no natural rainfall, all of the team are watering every day," he said.

"As soon as they come in, they're watering, and then checking throughout the day for any plants that are drying out or suffering because of the weather."

The team has also noticed changes in customers' buying habits, with more people visiting earlier in the day to avoid the heat.

Meanwhile, sales of hoses, watering cans, and drought-tolerant plants have increased.

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