Craig Buchan

Drone photography shows the effects of roughly two months without significant rain across Kent, Sussex and Surrey, where formerly green landscapes have turned brown and river levels have fallen. July 2026 was England’s driest July in 190 years, and the National Drought Group considers 70% of England to be in drought. Hosepipe restrictions, threats to wetlands and wildlife, pressure on farmers, and heightened wildfire risks have followed. Hever Castle’s head gardener said some Mediterranean plants and roses have thrived in the heat, but maintaining the gardens remains difficult. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of UK heatwaves and droughts to human-caused climate change.

Drone photographs show severely parched landscapes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey after roughly two months with little significant rain. Record heat and prolonged dry weather have lowered river and reservoir levels, damaged wetland ecosystems, strained water supplies and prompted hosepipe bans and wildfire warnings. Farmers are using winter feed earlier than usual, while gardeners report mixed effects on plants. The National Drought Group considers 70% of England to be in drought, and the report links the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves and droughts to human-caused climate change.

Alexandre Voisine won the Beachy Head penny-farthing time trial in East Sussex for the second consecutive year. Forty riders completed the three-mile course from Eastbourne to the top of the 162-metre cliff, with competitors travelling from several countries. Organiser Matthew Trott said the event has grown from five riders nine years ago into an established Eastbourne attraction, while participants highlighted the steep, gearless climb, enthusiastic crowds and the unusual challenge of riding Victorian bicycles.

Archaeologists have identified a surviving wall and fireplace from the Royal Albion Hotel suite in Brighton where Oscar Wilde stayed with newspaper seller Alphonse Conway in 1894. Conway’s account of the stay was later used as evidence in the case that led to Wilde’s conviction for gross indecency and two-year imprisonment. The discovery was made during restoration following fires in 1998 and 2023, using building evidence, Wilde’s trial testimony and a 1940s hotel plan. Owner Britannia Hotels is pursuing redevelopment plans for the damaged Grade II* listed property.

A Kent widow has faced nine months without receiving her late husband's civil service pension after Capita took over administration of the scheme, leaving her in financial distress and reliant on her children. The Cabinet Office criticised Capita for repeatedly missing recovery targets and is applying commercial pressure as more than 4,500 families await resolution of bereavement cases. Capita acknowledged service failures and said new processes and technology are being used to clear the backlog by early September.

A Brighton family struggling to afford a larger home highlights the city’s high housing costs, with rents significantly above the regional average. Local and national officials emphasize the need for more social and affordable housing, particularly through potential redevelopment of the Brighton General Hospital site. Discussions involving the NHS trust, the city council, and Homes England are ongoing, with the project’s future dependent on funding from land sales. The issue is widely regarded by local leaders as the city’s most urgent challenge.

A World War One Q‑ship, HMS President, is set to be dismantled after efforts to find a new berth failed, prompting strong objections from campaigners. ArcelorMittal Kent Wire, which has housed the vessel since 2016, says the owner has not taken responsibility and that the ship’s poor condition and asbestos make restoration costly and complex. The company plans to proceed with scrapping the vessel in July, stating it is the only realistic option. Campaigners, including the Q‑ship Society, continue to seek alternatives but warn that time is running out to save one of the last surviving ships of its kind.

A woman from Hastings is raising money for the air ambulance charity that airlifted her partner, Kent Police officer Bradley Corke, after a fatal on‑duty crash. Hannah Kitney plans a sponsored skydive with a friend, motivated by the care Corke received and the time it gave his family to be with him before he died. More than £12,000 has been raised so far, alongside contributions from his family and friends. A police investigation into the crash continues.

English Heritage warns the tradition of sending postcards is fading, citing survey findings that more than half of Britons no longer send them. To encourage renewed interest, it is offering free limited‑edition postcards for children at 18 heritage sites, featuring designs by Nick Sharratt and Sir Quentin Blake. The organisation has also acquired a collection of 800 historic Dover Castle postcards, offering insights into past communication and daily life. Industry figures highlight a sharp decline in postcard sales but note growing demand for nostalgic and artistic designs.

Worthing Borough Council reduced the estimated cost of permanent repairs to Worthing Pier from £930,000 to £550,000, with work beginning in August to install new foundations without closing the attraction. Damage from a 2024 storm had previously required temporary steel supports. The cost reduction stems from avoiding removal of the pier’s timber deck, allowing all work to occur underneath. Additional routine maintenance will be carried out, and the pier’s landing stage has reopened following separate repairs.

Two Surrey seamstresses, Erica Russell and Marlien Beets, work long shifts at Wimbledon adjusting players’ clothing, handling more than 900 items since the tournament draw. Their duties include ensuring outfits meet strict dress codes, making alterations, and adding sponsor badges. They also assist staff with emergency repairs. Russell has worked at Wimbledon since 2019 and recruited Beets two years later, and both have developed an efficient workflow during the tournament.

Original woodblocks engraved by George Mackley and depicting rural Kent are being auctioned in July, with auctioneers describing them as exceptionally scarce due to the artist’s practice of reusing blocks. The collection, originating from the estate of art historian Patricia Jaffé, includes several rare works and is expected to attract significant interest, with individual pieces estimated to sell for hundreds of pounds. Some works not previously catalogued offer new insight into Mackley’s artistic output, alongside additional paintings also included in the sale.

Fire services and conservation groups in Surrey urged visitors to protect heathlands from wildfires as hot weather increases risk. Authorities highlighted that most fires are human‑caused and preventable, advising against barbecues, improper cigarette disposal and littering. Several significant fires have already occurred in 2026, and climate change is expected to heighten future risks.

Southern Water urges customers to stop flushing wet wipes after removing thousands of tonnes of them from sewers each year, warning they cause severe blockages and environmental harm. The company says even wipes labelled as flushable contribute to fatbergs and system disruptions, despite new rules banning plastic wipes from 2027. Manufacturers claim their non-plastic products meet industry standards, while Southern Water argues the upcoming ban is helpful but insufficient to address the scale of the problem.

Rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves have pushed farmers and horticulturalists in south‑east England to adopt new practices since the extreme heat of 1976. Farmers report increased resilience through soil management and drought‑resistant crops, while horticultural experts warn that plants struggle above 30C and encourage a shift toward low‑water gardening using Mediterranean species. Climate scientists attribute the trend to human‑driven global warming, with the IPCC and Met Office projecting more extreme heat in coming decades. Data shows UK days over 30C have more than tripled compared with late‑20th‑century averages, and recent summers have repeatedly exceeded 35C.