The Environment Agency has downplayed concerns of drought, after one of the driest Aprils on record.

The agency said it was monitoring the situation following a period of dry weather, but stressed that the UK was not experiencing critically low supplies.

A spokeswoman said: "We've had a dry winter so the rivers are lower than usual, but it's not an issue at the moment.

"We're monitoring the situation and are in talks with the water companies."

The River Eden in Appleby is a key indicator of the lack of rain, with photos taken yesterday showing the shingle in the centre of the river bed.

This is in comparison to the iconic images taken during Appleby Horse Fair - which is always at the start of June - in which travellers usually bathe their horses in the river.

Although there were a few showers at the end of April, Cumbria has seen no substantial rain since Easter Sunday, according to the Met Office.

In total, 26.9mm of rainfall was recorded last month across the north west of the UK - making it the seventh driest April in the region since records began in 1910.

The driest April was recorded in May 1980 when just 8.3mm of rain fell. In April 1984 17mm of rain fell.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: "This April has been fairly dry in recent memory.

"The next time it's going to rain will probably be either overnight Thursday into Friday or Friday. That's showery rain pushing up from the south.

"There's not a great amount for Cumbria. Some places will see heavy downpours, but mostly on the eastern side."

Nationally 34.7mm of rainfall was recorded last month, which is just under half the expected amount for the month as a whole.

The dry month followed the driest six-month period from October to March since 1995/96.

The figures come amid concerns that low water supplies in parts of the UK could affect crops in the coming months.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has warned that exceptionally low rainfall during March and April has brought an early end to groundwater recharge, with below-normal levels recorded across Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and the North Downs area in Kent.

'Recharge' refers to the six-month period between October and March when rainfall is expected to be at its highest for the year.

So far only one water supplier, Affinity Water, based in the south-east of England, has issued advice to customers about conserving water ahead of the summer.