Lettuce crops flop as Britain wilts in hot weather

Salad basics stop growing and hosepipe use is banned as 30C-plus temperatures continue

Britain is continuing to feel the effects of the long, hot weather as moor fires keep burning, hosepipe bans are imposed and horticultural crops suffer.

The high temperatures have increased the demand for lettuce - a record 18m heads sold last week, 40% more than in the same period last year - but the salad crop is wilting under the high pressure.