Homes cut off in cable theft

MORE than 170 households in Saddleworth were left without a phone after cables were cut by metal thieves.

Two sections of cable in the Delph New Road area in Dobcross were cut overnight last Tuesday causing widespread disruption.

BT engineers were dispatched immediately and found they needed to replace 800 yards of underground cable as well as a new access box.

Repairs have been painstakingly taking place around the clock. Those affected stretched as far as Denshaw and, at its height, 170 faults were reported.

Services to most of those affected have since been restored with the final checks and repairs due to take place today.

Each customer has had to have their own individual pair of wires reconnected one at a time.

A spokesman said: “Our priority now is to restore services to those affected as soon as possible, which is what we have done in this case.

“BT is working with the police, Crimestoppers and other organisations to try and counter this kind of crime. We are urging a change in the law to better regulate scrap-metal merchants.”

A similar incident in August, last year, saw 225 yards of underground cable stolen affecting around 90 customers in Denshaw.