Residents across parts of mid and north Essex were left without phones for up to three days at a time on two separate occasions.

About 300 residents across the Coggeshall area, including Langley Green, near Feering, and a business park in Salmon's Lane, Little Tey, were without phones. The first time they were down was January 9 for two-and-a-half days and then again on Tuesday.

A spokesman for BT said: "A major cable in the Coggeshall area was damaged by a third party. About seven cables were damaged in some way with quite a major cable being cut. There will be customers further afield who will have been affected. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Jenny Davis, of Effective PR, based at Gore's Farm in Salmon's Lane, said: "This was bad news for us because they went down again on Tuesday. It is a long time for businesses to be without a phone. We have been standing in the car park on our mobile phones."

Most of the residents' lines were expected to be restored by today.

More in today's Evening Gazette

Published Friday, January 28, 2005

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette