TV and phone signals hit by mast arsonists

Security has been stepped up at a TV and phone mast where arsonists have caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage.

TV, radio and phone signals were disrupted by the attack on the Bathampton mast last week.

Arqiva, which is in charge of the mast, would not give details of the increased security measures at its Golf Course Road site.

But spokesman Gary Follows said: "I can confirm we have strengthened security and we have also taken advice from the local police."

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Fire crews and police were called to the mast in the early hours of last Thursday after a blaze was spotted in sheds around it.

An estimated 80,000 homes in Bath are served by the mast and many were left without television or radio for several hours. The fire affected Freeview TV signals as well as the signal for BBC Radio Bristol on 104.6fm, The Breeze, and the four national BBC fm networks. Most services were back to normal by that afternoon.

The Vodafone mobile phone network was also affected with many of the company's customers still not receiving a full signal almost a week later.

A spokesman for Vodafone said its repair work to the mast had been delayed because of other organisations' essential work at the site but should have been completed by yesterday.

Chief Inspector Simon Ellis, from Bath police, appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

He said: "This mindless act of vandalism has caused hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage and has affected TV, radio and mobile phone signals across many homes and businesses in the area. Emergency service communications have also been affected."

He said it was likely that the arsonists had recced the site before starting the fires some time between 4am and 4.30am.

Anyone with information about the fire or who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area of the mast in the early hours of Thursday morning is asked to call 101.