Blooming floral displays adorning Southend's parks and gardens will go ahead this year despite severe water shortages across the UK.

Water companies, including Essex and Suffolk Water, have offered advice to conserve water following one of the driest winters on record.

Southend Council today said colourful displays in parks, gardens and grass verges will be planted this year and insisted staff were conscious about the amount of water needed to maintain the displays.

Ann Holland, executive councillor for leisure, said: "We use many drought resistant plants and do our best to ensure water use is kept to a minimum.

"Apart from anything else, the more water we use, the more it costs and we want to ensure our expenditure is kept to the absolute minimum.

"There is also a conscious effort by our staff to recycle water and use water butts and containers to conserve rainwater which can then be used for the plants and for sports pitches.

"At the moment, there is not a drought warning in this area and Essex and Suffolk Water has not applied for any restrictions in this area."