THAMES Water last night denied reports that it was planning to end the hosepipe ban next month as it relaxed the restriction for businesses.

Professional gardeners last night praised the firm after it lifted part of the restrictions of the hosepipe ban.

Landscaping, turf and gardening businesses were made exempt from the ban yesterday because of the record rainfall during April.

The exemption means gardening businesses will be able to use hosepipes to water newly-laid turf and plants for up to 28 days.

Rob Jacobs, horticultural manager of Waterperry Gardens near Wheatley, said: “This is brilliant. Any relaxation of the rules will go a long way towards helping us. As soon as they announced the ban we began to sell less plants.

“In my 30 years in the business there has never been a year like this with the hosepipe ban and the bad weather.”

But the hosepipe ban remains in force for the rest of the company’s 8.8m customers, who have been urged to continue to use water wisely.

Richard Aylard, Thames Water’s sustainability director, said: “Our restrictions have caused real difficulties for some gardening businesses, so we are relieved to be in a position to take this step.

“Our water resources remain finely balanced, which is why our Temporary Use Ban must remain in place for the time being and why we must continue to use water wisely.”

Spokesman Natalie Slater denied some reports the hosepipe ban could end by June.

Thames Water, along with six other utility companies from around the UK, imposed the hosepipe ban on Sunday, April 1 because of a series of dry winters.

n Up to 400 homes in the Kidlington area had problems with their water supply after a burst water main in Bletchingdon Road yesterday morning.

Residents began reporting problems of low water pressure or no water at all at around 5.15am and a tanker was brought to the site to provide water.

Thames Water engineers had fixed the burst by 2pm.