Remote district's fast net access

Fast internet connections have arrived in the final few villages in the rural Staffordshire Moorlands.

A countryside school is holding a celebration of the completion of the broadband map in the county's most rural district.

The Power of Broadband Event will be held at Manifold Community Primary.

All homes and business in the Moorlands have broadband after exchanges were enabled at Rudyard, Blackshaw, Onecote, Astonfield and Hollington this month.

The Staffordshire Broadband Steering Group, co-ordinated by the County Council, has been campaigning for broadband access to all county homes.

QUICK GUIDE

Broadband

Nigel Senior, county council's regeneration funding team leader, said: "Access to high-speed internet can bring huge advantages to individuals, organisations and businesses and we are delighted it is now available at all but a very few locations in the Moorlands.

"This is a stunningly attractive part of the county, but the isolation that is so-much part of the appeal has also meant we have had to fight hard to bring all the technological advantages of the 21st Century.

John Wakefield, cabinet member for development services said: "Being able to get information at high-speed can improve the lives of individuals and transform the prospects for businesses.

"This is great news for people and firms in the Moorlands."