The UK could see more fish deaths than ever before if temperatures continue to rise, after the Met Office confirmed June was the hottest on record in UK history. The average temperature for June 2023 hit 15.8C, 0.9C hotter than the joint previous record of 14.9C in 1940 and 1976, according to the forecaster's provisional figures.
In total, 72 counties saw their hottest June since records began in 1884. Mark Owen, Angling Trust head of fisheries, warned that the hot weather had already killed thousands of fish across the country.
Mr Owen told the PA news agency: "Where I was this morning on a canal near Birmingham, fish were caught up against a lock and you saw hundreds of seagulls picking up the dead fish, the stench was really quite amazing. If July is like June, if August is like June, then we will get far more fish kills than we've ever seen.
