Shropshire Star

Village near Market Drayton left with no phone or internet for more than two weeks after cable is damaged by Storm Ciara

Elderly villagers near Market Drayton have had to endure more than two weeks cut off from their phone lines and internet after a phone line was damaged.

Published
The damaged cable before repair work started

The Simpson family in Soudley, part of the Cheswardine parish, said that the village has been without working landlines since February 9 after a cable was damaged in Storm Ciara's strong winds.

Tom Simpson, 20, lives in Soudley with his family.

He said that he reported it the following day, February 10, but that two weeks on no action had been taken.

Openreach said that it began work to repair it today, and that it was due to finish tomorrow.

Mr Simpson said that his three younger brothers were unable to do the school work they had been set for the half term because they could not access the internet.

He said that the family has a number of elderly neighbours who are "completely reliant" on their telephone connections because the settlement has poor mobile signal.

"We have very poor phone signal so having internet and a landline is important.

"If this was in Shrewsbury or Telford they would be working on it day and night.

"It's like they couldn't give a [damn] about us out in the sticks, but out here we're more reliant on it than those in the towns."

Openreach said that it had to repair 175 metres of cable in all, and temporary traffic lights have been in effect.

A spokesperson said: "We’re really sorry for the recent disruption in Soudley.

"Engineers are there today and tomorrow replacing about 175 metres of cable in total – a time-consuming task – and this work needs temporary traffic lights to allow our engineers to work safely.

"As soon as the work is complete, we’ll be able to start re-connecting people.”