South west water customers must wait a little longer to find out when and if their bills will be lowered.

During yesterday's budget, the chancellor said more public help would be given to south west customers because they currently pay the highest bills in the country.

That could mean a social levy on other parts of the country - currently three per cent of the population pay for thirty per cent of the country's beaches - or it could mean direct government subsidy.

Only last month, an increase in bills of around five per cent was announced.

Meanwhile campaigners for the elderly in Plymouth say the budget didn't quite go far enough.

They say the proposed one hundred and forty pound a week state pension should be brought in quickly to help the pensioners living in poverty.