Cable damage disrupts phone calls

Telephone and internet services have been disrupted in the Great Sankey area of Warrington after a telephone cable was removed from a junction box.

Emergency calls for those living in the Westbrook and Callands areas have been affected and police have advised people to use their mobile phones.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

British Telecom (BT) engineers are on site and lines should be reinstated by Sunday lunchtime, a BT spokesman said.

Two underground sections of a major cable link, each measuring 90m, will be need to be installed.

BT said so far it had received 240 fault reports and that about 1,500 homes and businesses had been affected.

Extra police patrols are being conducted in the area.