Sorry to hear off your problems Joan and hope they get sorted out soon don't mention BT to me after the following saga.

Got up on Thursday morning no phone dead as the proverbial do-do. In the old days you rang 191 spoke to the engineers not any more, you listen to some dalek recoded message who tests the phone and says there is nothing wrong with it and hangs up end of recorded message.

Of course its ringing in the exchange but not in the house, finally get through to India and manage to report it, they will send message to engineer who I guess is in England. He will get back to me if anything is wrong if it's their problem repair is free if it's in the house £130. They will also transfer calls from the landline to my mobile.

Are you still with me,

OK so we go out shopping that morning and on the main road are two Open Reach BT vans. Paul pulls over so I can go speak to them. I ask the man "can you answer a question for me please" before I ask it he says "your phones not working you and about 2000 other people in the village and surrounding area.

His mate is down the hole trying to sort out the four cables that the Gypsies have cut and stolen the copper from. He says it will take them about a week to sort and repair. The Gypsies once they sell it will get about £3000 pounds for each cable.

In the meantime no call from the engineer not that I need it now and no calls transferred to my mobile. Neighbour on one side and opposite there phones were still working but us and the neighbours on the other side nothing. The little Post Office inside the newsagents phone was working but not the newsagents, butchers, hairdressers, pub etc. So very indiscimate.

Saturday morning got up tried the phone and joy of joys it was back on so end of story, happy bunny. At least until they come back that it what the engineer said they will do once it's repaired happening all over the country. Spell of a 1000 fleas spring to mind.

Oh yes and just to be helpful you can report faults to the engineers by going to WWW. don't they realise you need a phone line to do that.