WATER company United Utilities today came under fire after asking people to be "water wise" - despite one of the gloomiest summers for years.

The company has warned people across the region not to be careless with water, since just a couple of hot days could see reservoir levels plummet.

But East Lancashire folk, fed up with a rain-hit holiday season, have hit back at the company's request and demanded to know: "Where has all the water gone?"

United Utilities say they have issued the warning because reservoir levels are at the same level as this time last year - due to the dry pre-June Weather.

But forecasters say that the rain of the past few weeks is set to continue across the summer.

David Hartley, of Read Garden Centre, said he is in the business hardest hit by water shortages.

Mr Hartley, who lives in Feniscowles, Blackburn, said: "I would have a lot to say to the authorities if there was a water shortage after all this rain.

"I cannot understand why we have to be careful after so much rain predicted when other countries such as Spain never have a problem with months of scorching weather. We need to take a bit of advice from them."

He added: "Garden centres do badly when the weather is bad like it has been and it is ridiculous that we could do badly when the sun comes too."

Newsagent Imtyaz Patel, 35, of Trevor Close, Blackburn, said: "It's a joke. Where has all the rain gone? Their bills are sky high as well."

Fatima Begum, 20, of Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, who works for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We have had winter weather all summer we should not have to put up with water problems after all this rain."

Rainfall is already well on the way to surpassing normal summer levels. Last year just 200 millilitres of rainfall was recorded in the region for June, July and August.

From June until July 22 this year we have already endured more than 150 millilitres of rain - and that does not include a washed-out weekend which was enough to put the dampeners on events such as Burnley Balloon Festival.

Weather watchers have predicted more is on the way. The Met Office has forecast 71 millilitres of rainfall for the first two weeks of August alone.

Despite the rainfall, United Utilities says local reservoir levels stand at just 76 per cent full - about the same level as they were this time last year when a heatwave gripped the region.

The company has even issued tips on using water carefully in the summer months including sensible use of garden sprinklers.

But United Utilities say sudden peaks in demand from the occasional hot day could pull so much water through the network it can reduce water at customers' taps.

The company predicts an extra 200 million litres of water a day could be used during the sunniest days.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "If people didn't use water wisely then that was followed by a dry patch or even a normal one, we could be looking at levels dropping.

"All we can do is to advise people not to be careless with water and hopefully there won't be any problems."

He also explained why reservoir levels were so low, saying: "Reservoir levels are at the same this year as last year because we had a dry year up to June so there has not been any more water."

Councillor Frank Connor, Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for citizens and consumer rights, said: "I would like to think that aren't careless with water. It always amazes that we have a perception that it never stops raining here and all of a sudden people are issuing water warnings.

"I want to know what United Utilities is doing to secure more rainfall for public use."

Blackburn with Darwen Councillor Colin Rigby said the firm's network of old pipes in Lancashire could be to blame for water escaping from the cycle: "We have old pipe systems especially in Lancashire and I believe the water companies have considerable loses and need to spend some money cutting them."