CHARITY car washes that raise about £5,000-a-year for injured firefighters are the latest victim of the looming hosepipe ban.

Each year crews from across Oxfordshire swap hoses on car wash days in return for donations to the national Fire Fighters’ Charity – formerly the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund.

But from this week the first hosepipe ban in six years will hit the county.

Thames Water is one of seven companies in South and East England which announced a ban and it said anyone found flouting it could be fined up to £1,000.

Under the rules, charity car washes will be banned and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service has had to cancel all planned events.

The service has also proactively decided to use buckets, sponges and wet chamois leathers instead of pressure washers to clean dirty engines where possible.

David Haycock, fire service manager of the city, said: “As we are commercial vehicles we are not covered by the ban.

“Normally the engines would be cleaned every day but as it’s the summer the roads are a bit drier and not as dirty.

“Where possible used a wet chamois to clean the engines.

“One thing we have done is to suspend all charity car washes.

“We had a couple planned for over the summer, but we are planning to stage other fundraising events.”

The Temporary Use Ban – or ‘hosepipe ban’ – will come into effect from Thursday.

The restriction will hit more than eight million homes and is also expected to force up the price of food and drink, according to the Drought Prospects Report by the Environment Agency It bans homeowners from watering gardens, plants and washing cars with a hosepipe.

All sports clubs are also banned from watering their pitches and grounds, unless they are taking part in a national or international competition.

It comes after one of the driest two-year periods in southern and eastern England since records began. Cricket clubs are concerned about the state of their pitches.

Colin Olliffe, Oxfordshire Cricket Association, general secretary, said: “If the ban continues into the season we’ll have a major problem with many games cancelled as pitches become dangerous.

“The Oxford Cricket Board has appealed to the Thames Water authorities to allow clubs to water their pitches but to date nothing has been agreed.

“We’re encouraging our member clubs all to start a dialogue with the Water Authorities requesting an agreement to water their pitches and the English Cricket Board have given guidelines as to the important factors in any submissions.”