During the robbery, the man told the victim ‘it’s the knife or the bag’

A man threatened to “throw acid” in officers’ faces following a robbery at a Cambridgeshire pub. Donald Chatten, 20, was in the Lord Protector, in Mayfield Road, Huntingdon, at about 5.15pm on January 13 when he stole the contents of the victim’s ‘side bag’.

The victim, who knew Chatten from school, repeatedly asked for it back. However, without warning, Chatten pulled out a pocketknife with a serrated blade and held it close to the victim’s face, reportedly saying, “it’s the knife or the bag” and “do you want to feel the blade?”.

The victim told Chatten to keep the bag and the victim’s partner informed the pub landlady who told him to leave as he was barred from the premises. The 20-year-old, of Coronation Avenue, Warboys, near Huntingdon, left the pub and drove off in a Ford Fiesta before he was arrested by armed officers in Coldhams North.

Upon arrest, Chatten became abusive and made threats towards officers, including that he would “throw acid in their faces and shoot them with a shotgun”, Cambridgeshire Police confirmed.

On Friday, August 7, Chatten, was sentenced to 20 months in a young offenders institution, having pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place at Peterborough Crown Court.

DC Neil Patrick, who investigated, said: “This was a totally unprovoked robbery by Chatten which was terrifying for the victim, having a knife held against his face.”

Nick Clegg’s former special advisor denied sexually assaulting a woman at a party conference when he appeared in court this afternoon.

Neil Sherlock worked for the former Liberal Democrat leader from January 2012 until March 2013, when he was deputy prime minister.

The 62-year-old is alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman at the party’s conference in Brighton, on September 18, 2007. It was reported to police in September 2023.

The former civil servant and consultant appeared in the dock at Hove Crown Court wearing a blue pin-striped suit and yellow tie and spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea.

Sherlock was told that he would go on trial on Monday, November 29 next year and that the trial was expected to last four to five days.

He was remanded on conditional bail and ordered not to contact or try to contact the complainant who was 30 at the time of the alleged assault.

At the time of the alleged assault, he was a partner at professional services firm KPMG, where he worked from September 1985 until December 2011, before joining Clegg’s office.

The former civil servant was awarded a CBE in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for public and political service.

Neil Sherlock a former advisor to Nick Clegg when he was in office arrives at Hove Trial centre on Monday 

According to his LinkedIn, achievements during his time working for Clegg include bringing in shared parental leave and extending flexible working.

Clegg was appointed Liberal Democrat leader in 2007, before entering office as deputy PM in 2010, when his party’s coalition government with the Conservative Party was formed.

He resigned in 2015, after the Lib Dems performed disastrously at the general election.

Sherlock lives with his wife in a £1.3million detached house in the leafy market town of Godalming, Surrey. The couple have two adult children.

Sherlock is now a partner at Acuti Associates, which he co-founded in 2023. The firm advises CEOs across the public and private sector on navigating a ‘new, more uncertain’ age.

He has also served as special adviser to Jonathan Holt, UK chief executive KPMG, since 2021, as well as on the boards of several charities.

This includes The Britain Project, a cross-party political group in ‘the radical centre’ which aims ‘to put hope, decency and integrity at the heart of UK politics’.

Other organisations he works for include Surrey Drug and Alcohol Care, ‘reputation research’ firm Echo Research and Words Matter, which campaigns against verbal child abuse.

Sherlock has previously worked for the City professional services firm PwC, leading variously on communications, reputation strategy and the implications of Brexit for the firm.

Clegg was appointed Liberal Democrat leader in 2007, before entering office as deputy PM in 2010, when his party’s coalition government with the Conservative Party was formed

The former civil servant read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford, graduating with a first-class degree in 1984.

That year, he beat former prime minister Boris Johnson by more than 100 votes to become president of the Oxford Union, the university’s historic debating society.

A spokesperson for Sussex Police, which is leading the current investigation, said: ‘Police received a report in September 2023 of a non-recent sexual assault alleged to have taken place in Brighton in September 2007.

‘Following an investigation, Neil Sherlock, 62, of Godalming, Surrey, was charged on 15 May 2026 with one count of sexual assault on a female.’

Cardiff City will host Championship rivals Norwich City in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

The opening round of the domestic cup competition saw the Bluebirds see off Swindon Town 3-2 at Cardiff City Stadium.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s men now welcome the Canaries, with a place in the third round up for grabs.

Elsewhere in the draw, which was split into northern and southern sections, Spurs face Charlton, Chelsea host Luton and Nottingham Forest and Leeds United face off in an all-Premier League affair.

The second-round fixtures are set to be played in the week commencing August 24.

You can see the full draw below.

Scroll down for the full fixtures

A university student was on the phone to his girlfriend when he was stabbed in the heart after falling out with a friend over a fake Rolex, a court heard.

Khaleed Oladipo, 20, was walking home when he was knifed five times in the chest by fellow student Harper Dennis, 18, after they argued about a ‘perceived debt’, jurors were told.

The attack was caught on a passing motorist’s dashcam who told how she saw ‘a snowstorm of feathers’ from one of their puffer jackets, Leicester Crown Court heard on Monday. 

Dennis, a first year student at Leicester University, denies murder, claiming self defence. 

On the first day of his trial, jurors were told Dennis and Mr Oladipo, who was in his third year studying cyber security at Leicester’s De Montfort University, were friends through online gaming and were both part of a group chat, Clownshow, a court heard.

But they had fallen out over money – with Dennis claiming to be owed £3,000. He had allegedly threatened Mr Oladipo’s girlfriend if he did not pay up.

Jurors were told Dennis had also been left ’embarrassed’ when a Rolex watch Mr Oladipo had given him to sell turned out to be fake and he was ‘laughed at’ by jewellers.

Mr Oladipo was attacked shortly before 5pm on February 3 as he made his way home from his girlfriend’s flat to watch an Arsenal football match. 

He was on the phone to her as he walked and she heard him say ‘why did you come up and stab me?’ before asking for her to call an ambulance.

Mr Oladipo collapsed in the street shortly afterwards. Passers-by performed CPR and he was taken to hospital but could not be saved.

A post-mortem examination showed he had suffered six wounds, five to the chest including one which penetrated his heart, and a defensive injury to his thumb.

Police searching bins after the attack in February. Harper Dennis, 18, of North Road in West Drayton, London, denies murder

Police search near the scene at the campus of De Montfort University in Leicester

Dennis is now on trial accused of murder, having an article with a blade or point and failing to provide the PIN for his phone.

Opening the case at Leicester Crown Court, prosecutor Jane Osborne KC said: ‘Khaleed Oladipo was killed not by a stranger, but by somebody who knew him.

‘Khaleed Oladipo and Harper Dennis, this defendant, knew each other from online gaming.

‘They had previously been friends. They were part of a Snapchat group together, but there had been a falling out seemingly over money that, at the very least, Harper Dennis perceived was owed to him by Khaleed Oladipo.

‘It would seem the perceived debt was the reason that Harper Dennis attacked Khaleed Oladipo in the street on the 3rd of February.’

Jurors were told the two men engaged in a ‘short struggle’ before they both went to the floor.

The prosecutor told the court footage shows Dennis’s arm moving in a ‘backwards and forwards’ motion, ‘consistent with the stab wounds inflicted to the left hand side of Mr Oladipo’s chest’.

She added: ‘Having been stabbed, Khaleed Oladipo rises to his knees and the defendant runs off.

‘He isn’t pursued. It’s clear Khaleed Oladipo is not capable of pursuing Harper Dennis.’

Ms Osborne added: ‘It was an incident that lasted, in reality, seconds.’

The court heard a witness who had been driving in traffic recalled seeing a ‘snowstorm of feathers from one of their coats’ during the altercation, Ms Osborne said.

The woman got out of her car to help Mr Oladipo and saw a knife ‘parallel’ to where he lay on the ground.

Ms Osborne told the jury two calls were made by Dennis to Mr Oladipo’s girlfriend Shekeizah Fowler-Palmer on Christmas Day last year.

The barrister said: ‘The caller said to her Khaleed was a bad guy and that Khaleed owed him £3,000. 

‘That caller intimated if Khaleed did not give the money, he, the caller, would come to her.’

Ms Osborne said there was also an occasion when Mr Oladipo gave Dennis a watch to sell and advised him not to go to certain jewellers because it was a fake Rolex.

When Dennis went to sell the watch at a jewellers in Hatton Garden in London, he was ‘laughed at’ because it was fake and was ’embarrassed and angry’ with Mr Oladipo, jurors were told.

The prosecutor said messages between the two confirmed they had fallen out, including one from Dennis which said he ‘won’t ever forget’ what Mr Oladipo did.

In a Snapchat message from Dennis to Mr Oladipo on Boxing Day last year, he said he would ‘dedicate his life to making sure you suffer for what you did’, the court heard.

Financial records showed a number of transfers between the two starting in December 2024, with the final one on Christmas Day, 2025 from Mr Oladipo to Dennis.

It was for 60p, sent with the reference ‘5999 to go’.

Dennis, who had allegedly fled the scene with his face covered, was arrested at his university accommodation later that night. 

His phone was seized but he refused to hand over the PIN code for it.

A search of his flat found four knives – two standard kitchen knives, a 25cm knife with a double-bladed tip in a sheath and a Kombat Tactical knife with serration.

The court heard he had given a flatmate a black bin bag to put out with her rubbish, which officers later found had contained the clothing he had been wearing at the time of the attack. 

He initially answered no comment before providing a statement admitting he had been present but had been acting in self-defence.

Dennis, of North Road in West Drayton, London, denies the charges against him.

The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.

By DAVID CHURCHILL

Published: 17:35 BST, 10 August 2026 | Updated: 19:21 BST, 10 August 2026

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit western Colombia, killing at least 73 people, trapping residents under the debris of collapsed buildings and forcing evacuations as far as the capital Bogota

A huge 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit western Colombia on Monday morning, killing at least 73 lives.

Locals were left trapped underneath the rubble of collapsed buildings, prompting evacuations as far away as the capital, Bogotá. The earthquake epicentre was located in San Jose Del Palmar; a village with 4,800 inhabitants in the Choco region, about 250 miles west of Bogota, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia’s equivalent agency. The earthquake stuck at a depth of 66 miles.

The devastating earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama, though minimal damage was recorded there.

Local authorities confirmed that at least 40 people were killed in the Risaralda region, where the severely affected city of Pereira is situated. There were also 27 deaths in the Valle del Cauca region, home to Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali. At least three of those who died in Valle del Cauca were children, the governor confirmed.

Officials also confirmed four deaths in Choco, and two additional deaths in the city of Manizales within the Caldas region. Numerous others across Colombia sustained injuries.

The earthquake left cities throughout the country’s west devastated, including in Pereira, Quibdo, Cali, and Manizales. Residents and rescue teams sifted through the wreckage of collapsed buildings while authorities cautioned about aftershocks.

Colombia’s interior minister said that more than 20 municipalities nationwide had been affected. Colombia’s Pacific region, near the quake’s epicentre, sits along the “Ring of Fire” — the chain of seismic fault lines surrounding the Pacific Ocean where the vast majority of the world’s earthquakes take place.

Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver from Cali, described witnessing clouds of dust rising across the city as buildings crumbled. Locals and rescue teams were sifting through the wreckage in search of survivors.

“My entire house shook. I’ve never lived through such a powerful earthquake,” he said. “We’re thanking God we’re alive.”

Colombia’s Geological Service confirmed on Monday that it had been “the highest magnitude earthquake registered in Colombia in the last decade”, adding that it had been followed by two aftershocks measuring 2.8 and 4.8 in magnitude. Authorities also announced that flights had been suspended at airports in Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura, and Pereira.

The quakes left many across Colombia deeply shaken, coming straight after two successive earthquakes that had devastated neighbouring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and claiming more than 5,000 lives. As buildings were brought down in Colombia, grief-stricken families in Venezuela were still desperately combing through the ruins in search of their loved ones’ remains.

In Pereira, images and footage released by local media captured chunks of airport ceiling crashing down on terrified travellers, with people fleeing through the debris in a state of panic. Pereira’s mayor, Mauricio Salazar, informed a local radio station that at least 18 people had died and numerous others remained trapped beneath “a massive quantity of collapsed buildings”.

In the nearby city of Manizales, in Colombia’s coffee-growing mountains, one of the towers of the neo-Gothic cathedral crumbled and crashed onto the nave. Manizales’ mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas urged residents to remain outdoors in anticipation of aftershocks.

Advertisement

Officials in the rural state of Choco, where the quake’s epicentre was located, confirmed dozens were injured, and that damaged there were buildings in the capital, though they offered limited details. In Cali, home to two million locals, Mayor Alejandro Eder said residents were trapped in at least 19 buildings which had collapsed.

Minor earthquakes are relatively common in central and western Colombia, though those exceeding 6.0 magnitude are rare. In 1999, a 6.2 magnitude quake near the city of Armenia killed more than 1,100 lives.

Advertisement

Colombia’s recently inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on Monday he had personally assumed control of the government’s emergency response in San José del Palmar following the earthquake.

“You are not alone. The state is present and taking action,” he stated.

The earthquake response marks the first significant test for de la Espriella, a Trump ally who took the presidential oath over the weekend. Messages of solidarity poured in from leaders throughout the Americas, including Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador and the United States.

“The Trump administration is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia” and de la Espriella, wrote Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post on X.

Several countries pledged assistance, and the UN deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, said “we stand ready to help as needed.”

Good evening

Welcome to tonight’s coverage of the Carabao Cup second-round draw.

Cardiff are the only Welsh representatives left in the competition after beating Swindon Town at the weekend.

Wrexham, Swansea City and Newport County all bowed out at the first phase.

Follow along to find out who the Bluebirds will face. Stay tuned.

By RAVEN SAUNT, US LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Updated: 18:55 BST, 10 August 2026

K-pop influencer Mina Chan has passed away age 26 after facing ‘harassment’ from the fandom.

The Japanese social media star, who was based in South Korea, died by suicide during a TikTok livestream in the early hours of August 5.

Chan was best known online as sweeter_nk and had become a regular face among fans of boy band ENHYPEN.

She operated a popular fan account, regularly attended concerts and signings, and was a vocal supporter of the group’s Japanese member Ni-ki.

Advertisement

But in the days before her death, the fandom had turned on the influencer for reportedly overstepping boundaries. 

Chan had been at a concert in the US in late July when she had attempted to get band member Sunoo to pass flowers to Ni-ki.

It sparked backlash with relentless accusations that she had tried to overshadow the event and steal the spotlight.

In the aftermath, Chan posted a lengthy apology on X (formerly Twitter) that read, in part: ‘I feel like my actions ended up taking advantage of Sunoo’s kindness. 

Advertisement

K-pop influencer Mina Chan has passed away age 26 after facing ‘harassment’ by the fandom

Chan was best known online as sweeter_nk and had become a regular face among fans of boy band ENHYPEN (pictured)

‘I’m truly sorry. I feel so apologetic toward Sunoo and all the Sunoo fans. 

Advertisement

‘By attending ENHYPEN’s fansigns multiple times, I had deluded myself into thinking I was closer to the members than I actually was. 

‘I deeply regret the rude behavior I exhibited in America. I ruined the atmosphere of the venue by prioritizing my own desire to meet Ni-ki over the precious time Ni-ki, who loves America so much, deserved. I’m truly sorry. 

‘To everyone who has supported me as sweeter_nk until now, thank you so much.’

Police received a report at 5.33am on August 5 concerning a Japanese influencer in her 20s who was attempting suicide during a TikTok livestream, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Advertisement

On August 6, an account said to be Chan’s younger sister confirmed her death through an Instagram Story.

She wrote: ‘My beloved older sister, who was always kind and warm to everyone she met, has passed away.

The statement insisted that she would not be sharing further information about the passing, before concluding: ‘I kindly ask that you keep my sister in your thoughts and prayers.’ 

Chan had been at a concert in the US in late July when she had attempted to get band member Sunoo to pass flowers to Ni-ki

Advertisement

In the aftermath, Chan posted a lengthy apology on X (formerly Twitter) that read, in part: ‘I feel like my actions ended up taking advantage of Sunoo’s kindness’

On August 6, an account said to be Chan’s younger sister confirmed her death through an Instagram Story

Seoul’s Yongsan Police Station is reportedly investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the death.

Dozens of fans have flooded to Chan’s last posts online to share their condolences.

Advertisement

One wrote: ‘Rest in peace Mina. You didn’t deserve this. You were a kind and lovely person who had a big heart. I hope you are free and found peace. 

‘My heart goes to your family and friends who had to face your loss. You will never be forgotten and I wish you could live longer to enjoy your life. I am so sad that this happened.’

Another added: ‘May your soul rest in peace, I really will always love you.’

And a third shared: ‘I hope you will be happier in the next life.’

Advertisement

If you are struggling, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org. 

The incident took place outside Sainsbury’s Local in Piccadilly at approximately 2.30pm on Monday (August 10).

An eyewitness said that the topless and barefoot man was involved in a “commotion” with three security staff.

READ MORE: Murder probe after fatal ‘stabbing’ in Yorkshire seaside town

He said: “Myself and a few others shoppers were wondering what was going on.

“Hopefully those involved are all Ok and the situation is all under control.”

Another added: “I know it’s very hot at the moment, but some customers may have been concerned about the hygiene of it in a Sainsbury’s Local.

“I couldn’t see any emergency services involved so hopefully it didn’t escalate too much.

“It was all a bit peculiar, but I hope he is ok and getting the help he needs, if required.”

The Press has contacted Sainsbury’s for comment.

Almost three quarters of England is now in drought, with officials warning conditions under the record-breaking dry spell are ‘worsening’. 

More than 27million people in England and Wales are under hosepipe bans after the driest-ever July – which saw some parts of the country receive just 1 per cent of the expected rainfall.

The National Drought Group today found that 71.3 per cent of England is under drought conditions, with around 45million people affected.

The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs became the latest areas to receive the classification.

Conditions in affected regions have been described as a flash drought – which is one that develops rapidly and is brought about by very low rainfall and higher temperatures.

Nowhere in England is currently considered to be under ‘normal’ conditions, after the North East and Yorkshire have moved to ‘prolonged dry weather’ – the stage before drought.

Tony Grayling, Drought Lead at the Environment Agency and Chair of the National Drought Group, said: ‘Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall.

‘We know the hot and dry weather is taking a real toll on farming and there will be long-lasting impacts on our environment.

People walk on the bed of Howden Reservoir where the water level has dropped significantly

Dried yellow grass at Parliament Square, after the driest July on record

Advertisement

Almost three quarters of England is now under drought conditions

‘We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated over the summer, but we need everyone’s help in using a little less water to make sure our current water reserves last. 

‘Every drop we can save is a drop more for your local farmers, local wildlife and local rivers.’

Water Minister Emma Hardy has told water companies they must do more to reduce the amount of water lost to leaks, which increases during hot weather.

Rainfall in July ranged from one per cent of the average for south-east England to 26 per cent in north-west England. 

Some parts of Hampshire, Isle of Wight and West Sussex have not had a rain day for 59 days. 

Meanwhile, Chessington World of Adventures Resort was forced to shut today due to a water outage today.

Thousands of disappointed families were turned away from the theme park in Surrey after a burst water main forced it to close in the middle of the summer holidays.

Thames Water, which supplies Chessington, said engineers were fixing a burst main on a road leading into the attraction which was affecting customers in the KT9 area.

A ban has been in place for Thames Water customers since July 23. The company is one of nine which have brought in restrictions meaning their customers are legally banned from using hosepipes to water gardens or wash cars, patios or boats.

Visitors being turned away at the Chessington front gate were being invited to visit other Merlin Entertainment attractions such as Thorpe Park and Legoland instead.

They were also offered to return to Chessington for free another day – but were not being offered transport. Visitors were also being told Legoland is very busy today.

Facebook user Momo Lin wrote that ‘all children are disappointed’. Another, Sammy Louise, said: ‘We’ve re-routed to Thorpe Park, absolutely dreading the queues as Thorpe Park and Legoland are going to be hit with Chessington guests.’

Visitors outside the entrance to Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey today

A Chessington customer assistant informs members of the public of the closure today

A deserted Chessington World of Adventures Resort today after it closed due to a water outage

Emergency works underway by Thames Water outside the entrance gates to Chessington

Advertisement

A Chessington customer assistant informs members of the public of the closure today

Damage to Leatherhead Road in Chessington today following the burst Thames Water main

A spokesperson for Chessington said: ‘We are currently experiencing operational disruption due to a burst water main that is affecting the local area.

‘As a result, the attraction is closed today while our teams work closely with Thames Water and local partners to restore normal operations as quickly and safely as possible.

‘We appreciate the patience and understanding of our guests and can confirm that anyone impacted will be automatically revalidated under our return promise.

‘The safety of our guests and employees remains our highest priority.’

Chessington has enacted its ‘return promise’, which allows customers who have pre-booked tickets to return for free within nine months of their visit on selected dates.

The site, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments, has not specified which dates will be open for a free return visit, but the school holiday period typically ends at the start of September.

Thames Water has switched off the burst main on Leatherhead Road directly outside the theme park, and repairs have begun.

A Thames Water spokesman said: ‘We’re sorry to customers in the Chessington area who are currently without water, and to anyone whose plans to visit Chessington World of Adventures Resort who have been affected following today’s outage.

‘Our specialist team is on site and have located a burst water main on Leatherhead Road. Repairs are under way and we are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore supplies. Once the repair is complete, water should begin returning to taps.’

Meanwhile car washes and swimming pools could face a water ban over the coming weeks.

Southern Water imposed a hosepipe ban in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on July 10 – but it could now go further by applying to the Government for a Drought Order and Non-Essential Use Ban (NEUB), which would affect businesses.

A NEUB would prevent companies from washing cars and windows with hosepipes or other mechanical devices, or filling non-domestic swimming or paddling pools.

The pool ban would cover facilities restricted to members of a private club, gym or association rather than general walk-in users. It would include pools at hotels, holiday parks or private health clubs if they do not meet open public access criteria.

An NEUB would also force businesses to stop watering outdoor plants on commercial premises; fill or maintain a pond; clean any vehicle, boat, aircraft or train; clean industrial plants; suppress dust; or operate cisterns on unoccupied buildings.

If Southern Water’s application is granted, it would be the first NEUB since one was given to Sutton and East Surrey Water in 2006 – which was itself the first since 1995.

The dry grass of a football pitch at Hackney Marshes in east London are pictured today

The depleted Hollow Pond and Leyton Flats near Wanstead in east London today

Grassland at Wimbledon Common today is straw-like or non existent, replaced by dust

Dried out ground around the Maiden Castle Iron Age hillfort in Dorchester, Dorset, today 

Advertisement

Firefighters continue to battle a blaze at the Holme Fen Nature Reserve in Peterborough today

The pond in Caversham Park near Reading is pictured today, having completely dried up

A worker trims the grass on a cricket pitch in Birmingham today, surrounded by dry ground

If the separate Drought Order application is successful, it would allow Southern Water to take the same amount of water from the River Test even if river flows are lower.

A Southern Water spokesman said: ‘Due to the ongoing dry weather, and following the declaration of drought in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, we have reached the trigger level requiring us to apply to Defra for a Drought Order and Non-Essential Use Ban in these areas.

‘These are precautionary measures and making an application does not mean they will be introduced. However, we must follow the regulatory process to protect water supplies and the environment if dry conditions persist.

‘Protecting the River Test remains a priority, and any future drought measures would be subject to strict environmental monitoring and controls.’

Eight other companies have brought in hosepipe bans so far – Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, South East Water, South West Water and Thames Water.

The latest of these was South West Water which announced restrictions last Friday for all 1.8million customers across Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset and the Isles of Scilly.

This week, parts of the UK are set to see their sixth heatwave of the summer with temperatures expected to reach 36C (97F) or higher.

The Met Office has warned of possible impacts to railway lines and power networks as forecasters consider issuing rare amber or red extreme heat warnings.

Today will be slightly cooler before temperatures rise again tomorrow.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘We’ll probably see highs reaching the mid-30s quite widely on Wednesday, and indeed on Thursday too for England and Wales.

‘On Wednesday, probably the Midlands, maybe a little bit further south, the M4 corridor, west of London, up towards the Midlands, is where we might have a small chance of reaching 36C in one or two spots.

‘But Thursday at this stage looks the most likely hottest day of the week. So 36C is a fairly reasonable probability locally on Thursday and there’s a small chance it could get even higher than that.’

Drought was declared last month for all of Wales and more than half of England – covering parts of the South East including London, West Midlands and all of the South West.

The Environment Agency has said several further unspecified areas could be moved from ‘dry weather’ to drought status when officials meet at the National Drought Group today.

Dried grass at Marlow Cricket Club in Buckinghamshire yesterday as dry weather continues

A sunbather reads while relaxing on the scorched grass of Hyde Park in London yesterday

Advertisement

People walk on parched earth and sun-damaged grass near Tower Bridge in London yesterday

Parched land around Bratton Camp Iron Age hillfort and the White Horse of Westbury yesterday

Parched grass at St James’s Park in London yesterday as the extremely dry weather continues

People look at the Thames Estuary in Allhallows, Kent, yesterday ahead of the new heatwave

Advertisement

Beachgoers at St Anthony Head in Cornwall yesterday as fresh heat health alerts began

The Wisley Golf Club in Woking, Surrey, has the odd area of green among otherwise dry ground

Beaverbrook Golf Club in Leatherhead, Surrey, is very dry apart from a few patches of green

A drone view shows parched grassland around Stonehenge in Wiltshire on July 31

Advertisement

A green square surrounded by dry grass at Maidenhead and Bray Cricket Club on July 25 

Around 16million people could move into drought status as public water supplies ‘remain under increasing pressure with continued dry weather and high demand’.

Mr Morgan said: ‘If it wasn’t for this incredible summer that we’re currently seeing, then we’d be talking about these temperatures as being really, very unusual. But of course, we’ve had such an exceptional summer, people have become a bit used to it.

‘There is a potential for impacts, so impacts to infrastructure, things like railway lines and power networks, impacts to vulnerable people as well.’

Health officials have warned of the effect on vulnerable people in the upcoming hot weather, with significant impacts possible in health and social care settings and a potential rise in deaths because of the heat.

Amber heat health alerts have been issued for the East Midlands, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, London, North West, South East, South West, and West Midlands, while a yellow heat health alert has been issued for the North East, from tomorrow at 9am until Friday at 9pm.

Meanwhile, the Met Office is considering issuing rare extreme heat warnings ahead of the scorching temperatures forecast later in the week.

‘We sometimes issue extreme heat warnings, amber and red warnings, which we did back in June, so that’s under consideration at the moment,’ Mr Morgan said.

Another record is set to tumble this week after yesterday was the 34th day so far this year when temperatures exceeded 30C (86F) somewhere in the UK, equalling the record from 1995.

So far, the extreme weather of summer 2026 has included two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that led to more than 2,800 excess deaths.

Advertisement

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat health alerts across England

Advertisement

A UK heatwave is official when a location records at least three consecutive days of daily maximum temperatures which meet or exceed a specified threshold – which varies by region

Two more heatwaves in July, the driest July in England and Wales since records began in 1836, have fuelled drought and wildfires. 

The fifth heatwave of the year was confirmed on Monday last week.

Much of southern England is now close to two months without any meaningful rainfall – with Wisley in Surrey having had more than 50 consecutive dry days.

The exceptional weather resulted in a record number of wildfires for England and Wales last month – with firefighters attending 395 blazes in the three weeks to July 31 amid fears the ‘whole country is like one giant tinderbox’, reported The Times.

On the A31 near the New Forest in Hampshire yesterday, police told drivers to leave their cars ‘if you want to stay alive’ as a van fire sparked a wildfire.

Fears are also growing over more water-related deaths, after a 19-year-old died on Saturday after getting into difficulty in the water at Grasmere in the Lake District.

Yesterday, an 18-year-old man died after getting into difficulty in the sea at Camber Sands in East Sussex. 

This brings the number of deaths in open-water incidents over the hot and dry summer to more than 40, according to Press Association estimates.

Downing Street has defended the Government’s response to the heatwave and wildfires, with today’s meeting of the National Drought Group bringing together ministers, officials and the water companies.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘We know these conditions are having a significant impact on communities, farmers and businesses across the country.

‘Our climate is changing. Droughts are becoming more common, which is why we’re focused on both the immediate response and long-term resilience.

‘That includes working through the national drought group with the Environment Agency, water companies, farmers, and environmental organisations to protect water supplies and minimise environmental damage.

‘And we’re also backing major investment in water infrastructure, including new reservoirs, whilst making clear that water companies must do more to cut leaks and improve resilience.’

The European Union’s earth observation programme Copernicus said average temperatures across western Europe reached 21.61C (70.92F) for June to July, breaking the record set in 2022.

Globally, this year is just behind 2024 and 2025 as the third hottest year on record.