Incredible pictures from the reservoir supplying water to Manchester have shown a "lost village" reappearing as water levels plummet.
Shots from the Haweswater Reservoir in the Lake District have shown the village of Margate Green appearing above the surface once again, as water levels dropped to 16.757m on Monday, September 20.
The Cumbrian village was flooded in the 1930s to make way for the reservoir, reappearing during the heatwave in 2018.
Now, water levels at the reservoir have fallen below the levels seen during the heatwave, and have been continuing to fall after a lower level of rain.
One visitor to Haweswater this weekend said: "It's a shocking sight, you can drive for several minutes alongside the dry area.
"It's become something of a tourist attraction with drones buzzing overhead, and families heading to look at the ruins that have emerged."
Residents across the region have been urged to cut their water use, with tips and tricks being sent to all customers on how to save water where possible.
United Utilities says reservoirs such as Haweswater and Thirlmere in Cumbria, are currently 'very low' at less than a third full - rather than 70% which is expected in September.
The company says this is down to a range of factors, including warm spells and extra demand on water being used, caused by more people staying at home and taking holidays in the north west during the pandemic.
United Utilities emailed customers at the start of the month to encourage them to cut their water use, but sent another email last Friday (September 17), telling residents that 'urgent help' is needed to protect supplies.
In the email, the company told customers: "You get your tap water from reservoirs in the Lake District, such as Haweswater and Thirlmere, which are currently very low, only 40% full, rather than 70% which is the level we would expect in September.
"The recent dry spell and warmer weather over the summer - along with more of us staying at home during the holidays, working from home or choosing to holiday more locally - has meant a big increase in the amount of water being used; we’re supplying 59 million more litres of water every day to meet demand.
The usual range of the Haweswater Reservoir Monitoring Station is between 21.56m and 31.39m, making the current level far lower than expected.
As water levels have dropped, visitors have been able to see the rough outline of streets and the humpback bridge that were once part of Marsdale Green.
These two features are the only recognisable parts of the village left, after the Royal Engineers used most of the buildings for demolition practice.
The small church, which could seat around 75 people, was dismantled in 1937, with the stones and windows being reused to build the water take-off tower on the Western shore.
United Utilities says two simple ways of saving water are to turn the tap off when brushing teeth, which saves around 24 litres a day, or showering for one minute less to save around 12 litres.
United Utilities is encouraging customers to visit getwaterfit.co.uk for personalised advice on how to save water.
