The areas cracking up

London's parks have suffered from the heatwave with scorched, trampled grass, and trees and plants killed or forced into an early autumn.

A Royal Parks spokesman said the damage is the worst since the famously hot summer of 1976.

"You try to plan for summer as it brings a lot of people to the parks but I don't think anyone planned for this," he said.

"Some trees have died and grass which has been eroded will need re-seeding. We are a victim of our own success."

GARDENS

Weeks of hot weather and scant rainfall have played havoc with private gardens. Plants and shrubs require twice-daily watering - not always feasible when owners are on holiday.

Cherished plants have died, and lawns are burned. Kew Gardens says it has been inundated with calls from worried amateur gardeners.

Expert Richard Wilford advised watering plants and shrubs at night when it is cooler and less water evaporates. "Don't even bother watering grass. It invariably re-grows."

WATER

Hosepipe bans have been conspicuous by their absence.

Thames Water spokesman Nick Tennant said: "There hasn't been one for nearly 13 years and we do not expect to end that record this summer."

At the height of the heatwave the company's customers were using 300 million litres of water a day above the average for the rest of the year.

But Mr Tennant said: "We had a very wet winter so the reservoirs are full, and there is nothing to worry about."