"It's definitely having an impact" - Borough's garden centres counting the cost of summer heatwaves

This summer is set to become the UK's hottest on record, with severe drought affecting several areas across the country after repeated heatwaves.

Soaring temperatures have also meant rising water bills as garden centres try to keep their stock alive.

"We're using quite a bit more than we'd usually use because it normally rains quite a bit more, so we are having to hand-water as well as overhead sprinklers," said Tim Bayliss from Gordon Rigg Garden Centre in Todmorden.

"It's pretty much a full-time job during the day, we have two people watering continuously.

"It's definitely having an impact in terms of time going into it and the water being used."

Mark Yates, from Kershaw's Garden Centre in Brighouse, said: "Peat free compost doesn't hold water very well, so when it's been so hot we're watering twice a day.

"So it doesn't help with the water bills.

"When it's very hot, people don't want to garden so they're not coming in.

"Like it can be too cold, it can be too hot as well."

Newbank Garden Centre in West Vale are also having to increase their water usage.

"We are spending more on water bills but people are also buying more plants because it's sunny and they like being in the garden, so it's balancing it out," said Chris Greenwood, from Newbank.

Mark says while they don't necessarily want rain, they would like it to feel a bit cooler.

"It's the temperature," he said. "In the summer, rain is as bad as the hot weather, it sounds daft but it is. You want it dry and bit cooler."

Chris says that on a personal level, he'd be happy for the hot weather to continue, the business would like a return to more normal temperatures.

"From a business point of view, it'd be nice if it tailed off to give the staff a bit of a break," he said.

"When everyone else is complaining it's hot, they're not stood under three acres of glass."

"You love the sunshine for the customers," said Tim, "but you'd rather have a bit of rain at night-time to keep the plants looking good, it's a bit of a balancing act.

"At least we're not under a hosepipe ban from a customers' point of view, otherwise we'd be watering plants but not selling them, which would be even worse.

"We've had a good summer, I don't know if not as many people have gone away or if they're just being careful with their money.

"We've found there's noticeably more customers coming out. They're all looking for a bargain."