One is NOT wasting water! Aerial pictures show the parched lawns and gardens at Queen’s Sandringham Estate – despite no hosepipe ban in place in Norfolk
- The 8,000-hectare estate has let its fields dry out but some of the gardens appear to have been watered
- The team at Sandringham warned visitors to not BBQ, ‘remain vigilant and to report a fire immediately’
- Anglian Water say they do not plan to introduce a hosepipe ban in Norfolk, unlike in many other counties
- A drought has officially been declared today in parts of southern, central and eastern England
The Queen’s Sandringham Estate is looking parched in stunning aerial shots of the royal property.
The estate, with the Queen’s residence at its centre, sits in 8,000 hectares (nearly 20,000 acres) of woods and heaths which, like much of the rest of Britain, have become scorched in the heatwave.
Norfolk, where the country retreat is located, does not currently have a hosepipe ban in place but Sandringham has clearly opted to conserve water and let its fields dry out.
But the pictures show that some areas, including the rows of hedges surrounding the entrance and the long garden to the north of the house, appear to have been watered.
Just two months ago pictures of the estate show the grounds looking luscious green but after Norfolk had the driest July since records began, the difference is striking.
The Sandringham Estate has let its fields dry out but it appears that some areas, including the rows of hedges surrounding the entrance and the long garden to the north of the house (pictured), appear to have been maintained
In just two months the Ornate Gardens on King’s Avenue have completely dried out, with the Estate clearly opting to conserve water by not watering the Queen’s lawns. Pictured: left, in early June and right, today
The Queen isn’t currently staying at her Norfolk home and is on her annual break at Balmoral in Scotland, where today temperatures are set to reach a very pleasant 23C.
Earlier this week the team at Sandringham took to Instagram to plead with visitors to help keep the estate safe in the hot weather. They said: ‘The Royal Parkland still remains very dry after the hot weather.
‘Please remain vigilant when visiting, report a fire immediately, we would also encourage visitors to download ‘what3words’ app to help with locations.
‘Please do not BBQ and take home any rubbish to help reduce the risk.’
It is believed that Sandringham has its own fire engine in case a blaze rips through the parched fields of the estate, with wildfires rife across the country
Sandringham House (pictured here in June, left, and yesterday, right) and Gardens remain open to visitors but the team has issued warnings that people should remain vigilant and avoid BBQs
On Tuesday nearly 50 firefighters battled a huge ‘tinderbox’ blaze to stop it spreading to the Queen’s estate in Norfolk.
It’s believed that Sandringham has its own fire engine in case of a fire on the royal estate.
The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month’s record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires.
Fires broke out in different areas, including London, Essex, Gloucestershire, Surrey and Cheshire, yesterday.
London Fire Brigade said its control room had dealt with 340 grass, rubbish and open land fires during the first week of August – an eightfold increase on the 42 during the same week last year.
Stunning aerial shots show the 8,000-hectare property looking very dried out, as the unseasonably dry conditions have depleted rivers and reservoirs and raised the risk of wildfires across the country
The Queen’s horses enjoyed grassy pastures in the Royal Stud back in June but the fields have dried out in the two months since after Norfolk had its driest July on record
Four water companies in England and Wales have already brought in hosepipe bans or have signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers.
Anglian Water, the supplier in Norfolk, said they currently have no plans to bring in a hosepipe ban.
A spokesman said: ‘We have no hosepipe bans currently in place across our region and we’re working hard to keep it that way, but we’re watching river levels very closely right now as things can change quickly and the forecast for this month remains dry and warm.’
MailOnline has contacted Sandringham Estate for comment.
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