Weather experts say rain must fall for two days out of three throughout the winter to avoid summer hosepipe bans.

They said it was the only way critically low water supplies would be replenished.

Water companies have refused to rule out summer restrictions, despite torrential downpours and flood warnings.

Five centimetres of rain fell in eight hours on Sunday night, prompting the Environment Agency to issue flood warnings on Sussex's most vulnerable rivers.

But a spokesman for the Met Office said more rain was needed. He said: "Between January and October the region received only 68 per cent of the usual amount of rainfall.

"August and September was the driest period since records began in 1873, with only 27mm of rain, compared to an average of 119mm - a mere 23 per cent of what is expected.

"It would need to rain in the South-East on average two days out of three until the spring to make up for the lack of rain earlier in the year."

Flood warnings were downgraded on Monday as the rain eased off in many areas.

The River Ouse between Barcombe and Eastfield is now on flood watch, meaning homeowners need to remain on guard although the flood risk is low.

The Lower Cuckmere at Alfriston has also been downgraded from a flood warning area to flood watch status.

The Cuckmere River at Hellingly and the remainder of the River Ouse have been given the all-clear.

A spokeswoman for South-East Water said the rainfall had helped but it was not enough.

She said: "It has made a small difference.

"To give you an idea, the reservoir at Ardingly has been as low as 15 per cent capacity and it's now back to 35 per cent but it should be at 100 per cent.

A spokeswoman for Southern Water, Sussex's main supplier, said it no longer planned to apply to the Environment Secretary for an order allowing it to install an overland pipe to transfer water from Bewl reservoir, near Wadhurst, to Darwell reservoir, near Battle.

Darwell reservoir was 30 per cent full until the rain began to fall but is now nearer to 50 per cent full.

She said: "Levels have recovered sufficiently for us not to have to go down that route at the moment."

Friday January 02, 2004