The Environment Agency has declared official drought zones in a further 17 English counties and said the shortages could last until Christmas or beyond.

Environmental experts said dry weather over the past few months had left some rivers in England exceptionally low and had now extended the country's "drought map" into the Midlands and the South West.

Environment Agency officials stress that public water supplies are unlikely to be affected by the ongoing drought, but are reiterating calls from consumers to combat the dry conditions by using scarce water wisely.

The release today of a second report into the earthquakes caused by Cuadrilla resources’ fracking activity in Lancashire has been met with disdain from environmental activists.

The report, commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), concludes that, ‘it would not be possible to state categorically that no further earthquakes will be experienced during a similar treatment in a nearby well’.

They come into force on 06 April 2012 - are you prepared? A short course to bring you up to date is available.

Following an extensive consultation exercise the Government has finally produced new Tree Preservation Order (TPO) Regulations. The Regulations were;

Made on 28 February 2012;
Laid before Parliament on 05 March 2012; and
Come into Force on 06 April 2012.

The Government has insisted that the green belt will remain protected under long-awaited reforms to the planning system.

Planning minister Greg Clark said protection of the green belt and putting high streets and town centres first are national requirements which protect everyone.

"Over and above that, I think the people that live in the places and work in the places that they love actually do have an interest in wanting them to thrive in the future - they want them to retain the character that sometimes they have lost through development being imposed from above," he told BBC Breakfast.