People on the Isle of Man will be banned from using hosepipes from Friday.

The Manx Utilities Authority is implementing a hosepipe ban due to falling water levels in Island reservoirs.

It means people are banned from watering their gardens or washing their cars with a hosepipe or similar apparatus.

The ban will be in place until further notice - anyone caught flouting it could be fined up to ?1,000.

The Met Office says extended periods of very warm and often dry weather will continue for the foreseeable future.

Analysis of the reservoir stocks indicates that if there is minimal rainfall over the next three months water levels may become ‘critically low’.

Forecaster Adrian Cowin says: "There is unlikely to be significant rainfall in the next few weeks and the likelihood of near normal rainfall in the next three months is less than 40 per cent based on the seasonal modelling currently available.

"Island residents should keep in mind that despite short spells of rainfall this will only be enough to sustain gardens but not enough to top up water stocks in reservoirs, even after any heavier bursts.

"This is primarily due to the surrounding catchment area of reservoirs absorbing rainfall and also the warm temperatures causing significant evaporation."