Everyone urged to leave bowl of water outside house or in garden tonight

Everyone is being urged to leave a bowl of water outside their house or in their garden tonight.

The heatwave is peaking in the UK today with highs of 31C expected - and we’ve gone days on end with no rain and still no rainfall on the horizon for the rest of the week either.

Of course, the sunshine has been great for our summer plans, but for the living things around our neighbourhoods, the dry, hot, sunny weather is starting to take its toll.

During spells of prolonged sun, some have reported seeing dead birds in the street, and it's not a stretch to imagine that endangered hedgehogs are also potentially struggling with the lack of water.

That's why every household is being urged to leave a source of drinking water outside their house, either in the garden or on your driveway.

It is hoped that the supply of drinking water might help keep foxes, hedgehogs, birds and even bees and wasps' thirsts quenched. Every single one of them is vital to a healthy ecosystem and if they die off, we all die off.

As one Reddit user advised: u/Emehen said: "If you have a garden, try to leave a bowl of water out. Wildlife suffers from this heat as much as we do."

u/byjmini said: "Went and put some large saucers out after work yesterday once I saw this post. Didn’t take long for the birds to take advantage."

And u/Evening-Letter2278 built on the advice, adding: "Birds prefer their bowls and baths to be out in the open though, in case cats are lurking in bushes. Also, once one bird’s been and knows there's somewhere to have a wash and a drink, they will unironically come back with their family, friends, or flock, so keep the bowls in the same place and the numbers build up."

And for people feeling really dedicated, The Wildlife Trust has some advice for people looking to take helping the world to the next level again.

The Trust says: "During hot summer weather, it is important to have plenty of water for animals and birds to drink and bathe in. But don’t stop there!

"It is also important to keep the water topped up during the chilly winter months as sources of water can become frozen and more difficult to find.

"If you install a bird bath, make sure it has gradual edges and is roughly textured. If you want to go the extra mile, hanging a drip jug above your bird bath will attract more birds as they hear the dripping water."

The advice should be good for some time, as Met Office forecasts show more hot weather is coming for the rest of the summer, even if there may be periods of unsettled spells and rain in between.

If you can keep even a small bowl of water regularly topped up - and maybe sprinkle a few stones or pebbles in it to help birds find a footing in the water - it will massively boost the survival hopes of everything that lives nearby.