Thames Water has announced that it has lifted its hosepipe ban, three months after the ban was introduced.

Across Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, 15 million customers were told they could not use their hosepipes due to the extremely dry summer that the UK experienced.

The company said that, thanks to customer support and recent wet weather, including above-average rainfall, restrictions on water use are no longer required.

When it announced the ban, Thames Water said levels in its reservoirs were “much lower than usual”.

The hosepipe ban came into effect on August 24 after a drought was officially declared across most of England following the driest July for 50 years and the driest first half of the year since 1976.

Thames Water thanked customers and businesses for their support in saving water, adding that demand for water reduced significantly during the ban, supporting supply and helping to keep taps flowing.

This, coupled with recent heavy rain, has meant that river and reservoir levels have started to improve.

Chief executive Sarah Bentley said: “We are grateful to our customers for their support in saving water during the hosepipe ban.

“Small changes can make a huge difference when it comes to preserving water and we’re thankful to all our customers for their efforts.

“Careful consideration has gone into our decision to remove the ban. Despite the recent rain, we still need to protect our future water supply.

“We need more rain throughout winter to ensure our rivers and reservoirs are fully recharged, ready for spring and summer next year.”

Ms Bentley added: “Whilst storage levels have improved at many of our reservoirs, we’re not out of the woods yet.

“Some sites in west London remain below average, which is why we’re adopting a cautious approach and carefully monitoring water levels throughout autumn and winter.”

Customers are still being urged to continue using less water at home.