Hampshire and Isle of Wight hosepipe ban from 5 August

The River Itchen, which flows through Winchester, has been affected by the recent dry spell

A hosepipe ban is to come into force in parts of southern England after a lack of rainfall and extreme temperatures.

The restrictions for Southern Water customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will start from 5 August.

Using hosepipes to water gardens, clean cars, fill ornamental ponds and swimming pools will not be allowed.

The firm said the ban was a "vital step" to protect the habitats of the River Test and the River Itchen where it extracts water.

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On Tuesday, the National Drought Group met to discuss a strategy to deal with exceptionally dry conditions across the whole of England.

This meeting was planned to take place in October but the potential drought conditions forced an earlier meeting.

The period between January and June this year was the driest in England since 1976, according to the Met Office.

Dr Alison Hoyle, Southern Water's director of risk and compliance, said the decision was not taken lightly as the firm knew the ban would have an impact on customers.

But she said the restriction was a "responsible step" to reducing the amount of water being taken from the two rivers.

She confirmed river flows were about 25% lower than they should be for July.

The ban is the first in the region since 2012, Southern Water said.

Portsmouth Water has also been approached for comment.