100 brown trout are rescued from river near Bakewell

The brown trout were caught in an area of the River Lathkill which was drying up and moved downstream to deeper water.

Matt Buck, fisheries technical specialist with the Environment Agency said: “In recent years we’ve had to rescue fish on this river as they’ve been left stranded when the river dries up after a prolonged period of dry weather. We will continue to monitor the river as sections of it are likely to continue to dry up and will carry out further fish rescues if needed.”

Once water levels return to normal, the fish can repopulate the area.

The river Lathkill rises below Monyash and joins the River Wye below Haddon Hall. Famous for its trout fishing, the 19th century writer Izaak Walton, who is famed for his book The Compleat Angler, described the Lathkill as the 'purest and most transparent stream' he had seen.

With this May being the driest since records began, it is no surprise that Environment Agency specialists have needed to act.

Figures show that while February saw record breaking rainfall, in May it was only 11 per cent of the average for the month.

Though rain this month has helped alleviate the situation, consumers are being asked to use water wisely, for example, by not using sprinklers or hoses to water gardens, and to take showers rather than baths.

You should turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving and check your toilet, taps and pipes for leaks.

More tips on how to save water can be found on websites of water companies.