A RIVER which has been sucked bone-dry by drought and pumps feeding domestic water supplies is showing signs of flowing again.

Water levels are rising and minnows and wildlife are returning to the River Misbourne, which once flowed through Great Missenden, Amersham, Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter.

In 1993, a crisis report by the National Rivers Authority found that the Misbourne was one of the worst rivers in the country, with a critically low flow.

Its plight has been halted by Thames Water and Three Valleys Water, who have invested £7.2 million in an alleviation project to restore flow.

Mike Pocock, of Three Valleys Water, said: 'The Misbourne project has proved a great success in overall terms. It was hoped that the first phase would restore flows along the river's entirety, but there remain concerns over flows through Chalfont St Giles.'

Andrew Boyd, of Thames Water, said water abstraction from the river had been reduced by four million litres a day since 1997. He added: 'It should be better for local wildlife and a substantial part of the river's flow does depend on rainfall in the winter to help the river in the summer months.'