STANDPIPES could return to UK streets if the country is hit by a third dry winter in a row, environment secretary Caroline Spelman has warned.

Mrs Spelman said that while it was "most unlikely" that drought-affected areas such as Oxfordshire would need to use standpipes this year, another dry winter could make it more likely they would have to be brought in.

Oxfordshire, as well as large parts of the rest of the country, is in drought after two extremely dry winters.

Mrs Spelman said: "I'm not deluded into thinking that I can tell you how much rain we are going to get - and it's far too early to tell yet whether we are going to have the wet winter we do need; but whereas it's most unlikely we would have standpipes this year, if we have another dry winter that becomes more likely."

She added: "We really do need a wet winter to get back to normal conditions."

Thames Water - which covers Oxfordshire - has warned its 8.8 million customers a hosepipe ban would remain in place despite heavy downpours bringing more than double the long-term average rain for the month.

The UK's biggest water company said the rain had not made up for a shortfall caused by below-average rainfall in 20 of the previous 25 months.