COUNCIL chiefs are urging residents to collect rainfall to water their gardens.

It follows an ICM poll earlier this month which found more than three million residents across the drought-hit south east are breaching the hosepipe ban.

Now Lewisham Council is asking residents to complete an online questionnaire about their water use.

The first 200 people to complete the water consumption quiz will receive a free water butt - a large barrel which can hold up to 190 litres of rainwater and is fitted to a drainpipe.

Deputy mayor and cabinet member for the environment Councillor Heidi Alexander said: "Water butts are really handy in droughts, allowing people to collect rainwater during showers and use it in drier spells."

Visit lewisham.gov.uk to complete the questionnaire.