A farming village in the Lake District, UK, which was flooded to create a reservoir in the 1930s, has suddenly reappeared due to falling water levels.

After years underwater, the haunting ruins of Mardale Green have once again been exposed. Visitors to the site can see a number of remnant of the village including a 17th-century humpback bridge and the ruins of an old church, pub and house.

In 1935 the valley in which the village sat was flooded to make way for the Haweswater reservoir - which supplies around 25 per cent of the north-west of England with water.

United Utilities, which owns the reservoir, says it is currently about 40 per cent full, when normally they would expect it to be at 70 per cent in September.

The usual depth of the reservoir is between 20 and 30 metres, but in the last 12 months it has dropped as low as 15 metres.

The water company explained that although reservoirs tend to be at their lowest by the end of summer, the pandemic has prompted people to work and holiday at home - which means they are using more water than normal - putting a further strain on supplies.

This isn't the first time Mardale Green has made a surprise reappearance. It usually happens when the water level in the reservoir falls below 50 per cent.

If this story has whet your appetite for the drowned village of Mardale Green why not check out this amazing 1935 film from the Reuters archives, showing crowds gathering for the last service to be held at the church before the valley was flooded.