WATER bosses have warned that a hosepipe ban will stay in place despite the county weathering the wettest April since records began.

Anglian Water said today that downpours that have continued into May have not reversed the problems caused by the last 18 months of dry weather and below average rainfall.

Weather stations at Wattisham recorded 106.6 millimetres of rain last month - more than double the average for that area in April. The 10-year average for the month is around 45mm.

And while the month-long deluge was welcomed by many in Suffolk, it is thought there will need to be months more of above average rainfall before the ban is lifted.

Antony Innes, a spokesman for Anglian Water, said: “We are not going to rush into any rash decisions in response to a month of rainfall.

“There is no date set and to be honest we wouldn’t look to set one, but it’s something we are monitoring closely.

“One month is not going to fix the drought. It’s going to take a long time to restore ground water levels.”

After a wet April, residents were hoping for a brighter month.

But the first two weeks of May will see people grabbing their raincoats and umbrellas instead of putting on their shorts and shirts.

Forecaster Brendan Jones, of MeteoGroup, said: “At the moment it’s likely that the start of May will be fairly unsettled and not especially warm. There will be dry intervals but I think a number of days in the first part of May are likely to see rain.

“It’s unlikely to be as cold as it has been, partly because we’re getting closer to summer.

“There’s some indication from the middle of May onwards we might see some drier and warmer weather but that’s speculation at this stage.”

? How has the hosepipe ban affected you? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk