NOT before time, North-west water bosses have pulled the plug on the widespread illusion that droughts only happen in summer.

It may be difficult to imagine, but here in Bolton we are facing the very real prospect of a "dry" Christmas.

More than a third of the Pennine reservoirs - including local ones, Wayoh, Rivington and Entwistle - are almost empty.

The unwelcome news means that the hosepipe ban and other drought measures are likely to spill over into the new year - possibly into NEXT summer.

During the heatwave many people were reluctant to enter the "Dunkirk spirit" of the 1976 drought and implement water-saving techniques. They pointed angrily to massive wastage through leaking pipes and resented big pay-offs to the bosses of the privatised water company.

However, we are now in a position so critical that such recriminations will serve no good cause and must pull together in a concerted bid to save every last drop of water.

Those who refuse to do so will not only be cutting off their noses to spite their faces, but also their - and everyone else's - water supply.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.