VODAFONE customers in Bridport are furious that they have been without coverage since last Tuesday.

And they fear it could go on until March.

Vodafone say the problem is a failure of the BT cabling that links the local site into the rest of the network.

A spokesman said: “We’re sorry some of our customers in Bridport have experienced a loss of service over recent days.

“We are treating this as a priority and we are working with BT engineers to get the site up and running as soon as possible.”

All the company’s website says is planned maintenance on its 3G network will go on until March 6.

But customers say they are ‘disgusted’ with how little help or information Vodafone has given.

Bridport town councillor Julian May, who runs eJurassic, an online marketing and web development company, said it was shocking.

He said: “It is shocking.

“I have had to drive to Waytown and stand on the hill to talk to people.

“People are losing business and they are looking stupid because people are wondering what it going on.

“Even on its website Vodafone has that coverage is Ok and that is just not acceptable.

“Obviously they don’t want to confess it could take weeks because people are just going to drop them like a stone and they are going to have a mass exodus.

“Being a rural place people depend on their mobiles for business, it is critical really and it’s not good enough.

“If this was happening in Bournemouth it would be sorted within 24 hours.

“That’s a shame and makes you realise how vulnerable we are down here.”

Bridport Vodafone customer Susie Girdler said: “I think like so many people these days I have given up a landline in favour of my mobile, it's not just a back up phone anymore. “My mobile is my primary method of keeping in contact and its amazing how vulnerable I feel without it. Being without it for a short time is acceptable, but not for days. Very poor service from Vodafone.”

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