MANY villagers near Alresford are without mobile phone coverage because of a problem at Vodafone.

Its customers in Cheriton and New Cheriton and parts of Kilmeston parish have had no connection for some two weeks.

It is thought there is a problem with the company’s mast at Scrubbs Farm between Cheriton and Alresford following an electric storm.

No-one from Vodafone was available for comment.

One villager, David Pain said yesterday: “We get no signal until we get almost to Alresford Golf Club (at Tichborne). Many others are similarly affected, both contract and pay as you go customers.

“It has been very difficult to contact anyone admitting to having any knowledge of the problem and nobody knows when the service will be restored.”

Ironically many customers in the area choose Vodafone because its coverage has been better than the patchier service from other operators.