The fans could not believe it.

While other supporters of Manchester United watched in delighted disbelief as two goals thundered into the net in the last minute of THE game, some in Colchester were calling East Coast Cable with complaints.

For ten minutes into the second half of the match, television screens in some areas of the town, including the Maldon Road district, blacked out.

And worse was to come.

Five minutes before the end of the game -during which Manchester United scored the two goals which bought them victory and a place in the footballing history record books - the picture again disappeared.

Angry and disappointed followers of the northern club playing Bayern Munich in last night's European Cup let East Coast Cable know of their frustrations in no uncertain terms.

The company said today it experienced technical difficulties while transmitting service between 9.15pm and 10.15 pm.

It said it rectified the problem, which affected an isolated number of customers in the Colchester area, as soon as possible.

Marjorie McFarlane, press officer for East Coast Cable, added: "East Coast Cable would like to apologise to all customers affected by this highly irregular interruption in Cable Vision service."

A disgruntled fan said he and a group of mates were watching the match on cable television but when the picture disappeared the first time, they switched their viewing to a small portable television.

"We tried cable again when it finished to see if they had after match interviews but it was still not on. My mate whose house it was complained to the cable company," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.