The longest dry spell for years will see a hosepipe ban come into force for island residents starting on Friday (August 3) and continuing for the forseeable future.

A spokesman for Manx Utilities said the weather had been comparable to the hot summer of 1976 meaning what rain had fallen had been absorbed by the very dry ground or evaporated and had done little to top up levels in reservoirs.

Heavy rain at the weekend had raised levels at the Baldwin reservoir by just two per cent and had shown no effect on Sulby reservoir - which is used to top up Baldwin - at all. The meteorological office has predicted a less than 40 per cent chance of anything like normal rainfall levels over the next three months.

The hosepipe ban means domestic users cannot use hose pipes for general tasks such as watering gardens or washing the car; if they do, they could face a fine of up to £1,000.