Water is shipped out to drought-stricken isle

Emergency water supplies were yesterday being shipped to a remote Scottish island of the Inner Hebrides, writes Jonathan Thompson.

Emergency water supplies were yesterday being shipped to a remote Scottish island of the Inner Hebrides, writes Jonathan Thompson.

As the rest of the UK suffered one of the wettest Julys on record, the island of Tiree was experiencing a freak drought. For three months there has been no significant rainfall.

The tiny island has been experiencing almost non-stop sunshine since the end of April, but is now suffering the consequences. Tourists have flooded the island over recent weeks, doubling its usual population of 700. Now, it seems, there simply is not enough water to go round.

Yesterday, as Edinburgh was recovering from Thursday's flash flood, West of Scotland Water was shipping out two tankers containing 36,000 litres of water.

A spokesman for the company confirmed that the tanker service will continue until the crisis on the island is resolved.

Despite the fact that Tiree holds the record for the sunniest months ever recorded in this country, 329 hours in May 1946 and 1975, this year's drought is unprecedented.