In these times of hosepipe bans it can be difficult to give the garden the attention that it deserves, but now a Hertfordshire company has come up with a way for householders to indulge in guilt-free watering.

Watermatic, which is based in Potters Bar, has invented the Ban Buster, which filters 'grey' water from baths, showers and sinks and collects it in an external tank.

The system, which is pending a patent application, can then be pumped into the garden via a sprinkler, but with larger tanks, the supply can be turned on or off or redirected to different areas, the St Albans Observer reports.

The company's Jilly Blackshaw told the newspaper: "We are selling loads of Ban Busters. Our client base is screaming for help to save their plants."

Watermatic says that a family of four can use up to 3,000 litres of water a day through everyday things such as showering and washing up and that the filtered water is perfectly useable for gardens.

Four water firms in the south of England last week lifted their hosepipe bans following heavy rainfall, but the Environment Agency has warned that there is still the risk of a drought next summer.