How Christmas tree farm makes it rain in dry spell

Rob Morgan has invested in a giant water pump to ensure crops like July's sunflowers and Halloween's pumpkins will be ready in time

A Christmas tree farmer has had to invest £22,000 in a new irrigation system, saying he has had to adapt his business to cope with continued dry spells each year.

Swansea has seen one of the driest spells in the UK recently, without rain since early May.

The hot weather is expected to continue for another 10 days, forecasters have said.

"Every farmer is going through the water problem at the moment," said Rob Morgan from Gower Fresh Christmas Trees Farm at Three Crosses, Swansea.

He told BBC Radio Wales Drive that the months of May and June had become drier over the years.

He has invested in a tanker and giant rain-like spray system which pumps water over crops.

Welsh Water has said there was no doubt climate change was having an impact on its supplies, although it did not anticipate issuing hosepipe bans and drought warnings this year.

Mr Morgan used to be a beef and cattle farmer but has diversified, growing 500,000 Christmas trees, along with fields of lavender, sunflowers and pumpkins through the year.

There hasn't been any rain in Swansea since 9 May but he said the lavender was "thriving in this sunshine".

And he hoped his investment in a water irrigation system would help his sunflowers to "get over the worst" of the dry spell.

"But I'm not going to complain," he said.

"As a farmer... we get on with things."

Rob Morgan has had to spend £22,000 to make sure his Christmas trees get enough water

Welsh Water said reservoir and river levels have recovered after the driest spring and summer for more than 150 years in 2022.

However, it has advised the public to be "thoughtful" about how much water they use.