London: The source of the River Thames in England has moved 8 km downstream for the first time in its history.
While parts of the riverbed in Gloucestershire regularly dry out during the summer, experts said it was a worrying sign of the impact of the climate crisis to see the Thames begin flowing so far downstream, reports dpa news agency.
It comes after weeks of dry spells, and temperatures reaching in excess of 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the UK last month.
The Rivers Trust is calling for accelerated metering, rapid reduction in leakage, support for households to reduce water usage, such as installing low flow toilets and water butts, and sustainable drainage including rain gardens, wetlands and permeable paving to build up local stores of water underground.
The source of the Thames has moved east from Kemble, just south of Cirencester, to beyond Somerford Keynes.
Parish council chairman John Whitwell said the shallow riverbed at Somerford Keynes tended to dry out most summers.
The River Thames is traditionally about 215 miles long, and travels east from the Cotswolds through to London and out into the North Sea.
It is the second longest river in the UK, after the Severn, and is used for the annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge.
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