HEAVY showers across Fenland have helped crops, gardens and wildlife but the risk of drought is still not over, the Environment Agency said today.

The East of England has now had 83 per cent of its average June rainfall but it has not been enough for the Environment Agency to lift the drought announced two weeks ago.

Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and west Norfolk all remain in drought.

Trevor Bishop, head of water resources at the Environment Agency, said: “The wetter weather has helped to lessen impacts on the environment this week. However, after months of little rain, the recent unsettled weather does not mean the drought or risk of drought is over.”

Today’s latest review by the agency said that many rivers have responded to the rainfall. However, there are still a number that have below normal flows for the time of year, including the Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Bishop said: “Without further sustained rainfall, river flows will quickly drop again and our teams remain on alert to respond to the environmental impacts of drought.

“The Environment Agency is working with farmers and other abstractors to identify ways of making the water that is available go further. Our role is to balance the water needs of people, businesses and the environment and it’s important that we all use water wisely at all times of the year, especially during dry periods.”