Parts of canal closed amid record dry spell

Parts of the Grand Union Canal in Leicestershire have been temporarily closed to boats due to a lack of rainfall and water supply "challenges".

The Canal and River Trust (CRT) has suspended boat passage for about 10 miles (16km) between Kings Lock, near Aylestone, and Kibworth until the water supply recovers.

The trust said it came as the East Midlands experienced the "longest unbroken spell of no recorded rainfall this century".

A spokesperson for CRT added: "We apologise for the disruption and thank boaters for their patience during this time."

Images taken by the BBC show areas of the canal bed are visible due to the lack of water.

A CRT spokesperson said the charity was doing all it could to save water, with the Met Office not forecasting any meaningful rain over the coming days.

They said teams were out every day "managing water levels, helping boaters in the affected area get to where they need to be, and closely monitoring any impacts on wildlife".

The spokesperson said: "The situation with low flows can be exacerbated because of lock misuse, plus the ageing nature of the canal network, where water naturally seeps away from the canal.

"We're targeting water-saving repairs and maintenance this summer to reduce leakage and better manage water flow as part of our year-round effort to care for these 200-year-old waterways.

"The towpath in this area, along with the canalside attractions and businesses, remain fully open for people to use and enjoy."

The closure comes amid unprecedented hot and dry weather, with the central England region suffering the longest dry spell for 30 years earlier in July.

Despite the hopes of some wet weather over the weekend in the East Midlands, another heatwave is set to hit this week.

Temperatures are forecast to peak above 30C (86F) in the region on Wednesday and the UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat health alert, warning that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the heat.

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.