WATER butts and plastic bins have been flying off the shelves as people in High Wycombe prepared for the start of the hosepipe ban on Monday.

The rush saw hardware stores sell-out of the water-saving barrels as gardeners prepared for the long dry summer months.

At B&Q in London Road, High Wycombe, the demand has seen the shop order in extra supplies.

Ian Jennings-Brown, 59, from the store, said: "You can't get hold of a water butt for love nor money at the moment.

"It is crazy, as soon as we put them on the shelves they have gone again."

Ian said that people were even buying plastic bins to store any rain that falls.

He said: "The best way for people to save some water is to pour the water from the washing up into the water butt when you are done with it.

"The plants won't be harmed by a bit of washing up liquid, and it will help kill green-fly."

The ban was started by the two firms that provide water in Bucks Thames Water and Three Valleys after they said the South East has had back-to-back dry winters.

Gardeners have been told they are not allowed to use hosepipes to water plants, although they can still use them to fill a watering can.

People could be fined up to £1,000 if found to be flouting the ban.

Hosepipes, which spray out 540 litres an hour, can still be used to fill swimming pools and garden ponds.

Allotment owners have had letters from Wycombe District Council asking them to reduce their water usage and to stop using hosepipes.

At Hughenden Manor, staff have been taking steps to cut down on the amount of water they need by putting in plants that are happy in drier conditions.

Neil Harris, gardens and countryside manager, said: "We are doing lots of innovative stuff. One thing we are looking to do is to install a 10,000-litre tank to take rain water from the roof. That will be used for most of the irrigation. We are also trying to save as much water as we can doing things like watering at night instead of during the day. Looking at the river here it is bone dry. A hosepipe ban is something we are all in favour of."

But water is not being saved everywhere.

John Lye, a bricklayer from Rose Avenue, Hazlemere, is still waiting for Three Valleys to fix a leak more than three weeks after it was reported.

Water has been pouring out in a steady stream from ground near his stables in Gravelly Way, Penn Bottom, where he keeps three horses. John said: "It has become a bit of a bog now.

"I understand they get leaks but they should be able to deal with them.

"If I did my job as badly as them I would be sacked."

Three Valleys said it was hoping to fix the leak yesterday.