WINCHESTER civic chiefs are beginning to wind down the flood crisis centre, as water levels continue to drop.

The city council's Emergency Control Centre will close at 4.30pm today and re-open at 8am on Monday March 3.

Over the weekend telephone calls will revert to normal out-of-hours arrangements.

Many homes, especially in the Hambledon area, still need to be pumped out but the pressing need to distribute sandbags has eased.