WORCESTERSHIRE is no longer in drought following the wettest April on record, the Environment Agency has confirmed.

Drought status has also been lifted in Herefordshire, parts of Gloucestershire and the West Midlands following the recent heavy rainfall and continuing rain this month which has boosted river and reservoir levels, reducing pressure on the environment and water supplies.

Environment Agency chief executive Dr Paul Leinster said: “The Environment Agency will continue to keep a close eye on the situation. Low groundwater levels remain a concern across many parts of England, with many still at a similar level to those in 1976 and unlikely to return to normal levels before the winter.

“A return to a long period of dry weather would increase the risk again.”

River flows have gone from below normal levels at all sites in March to notably or exceptionally high levels this week in almost half of the spots monitored by the Environment Agency.

Water stocks in many reservoirs are recovering after the wettest April in records dating back more than 100 years, the latest drought update from the agency revealed.

But despite the situation easing in many areas as a result of the rain, groundwater supplies remain exceptionally low at two-fifths – 42 per cent – of monitored sites with many still at similar levels to 1976 when England was gripped by prolonged drought.

Parts of East Anglia and the South East remain in drought with hosepipe bans in place.