VILLAGERS in Blaenporth have enlisted the help of Ceredigion MP Ben Lake in their continuing fight to get superfast broadband.

They have noted the difficulties being experienced in other rural communities and maintain their own problems have been dragging on for years.

Lauren Clinch, a postgraduate student at Aberystwyth University, said she relied on BT’s “dire” service to carry out much of her research work.

“But beyond that, it is often not even fit for personal use on a bad day,” she added. “I’ve emailed BT’s customer service department myself and was completely fobbed off; they refused to even look into the situation and told me our current internet plan was working fine, despite being told repeatedly that it wasn’t functioning properly.

“They also told me that our village isn’t registered to get faster broadband, despite the fact cables were put in place and have been left coiled on telegraph poles for a considerable time now.”

Lauren’s dad, local artist David Clinch said his daughter often had to make an unwanted trip to Aberystwyth, simply to get a workable broadband speed.

“Broadband cables have been on the telegraph poles for the past 18 months or so, the whole thing is completely bonkers,” he added.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “Since the start of Superfast Cymru we have always been clear that the programme would not reach every premises, and some areas that were in the original plan have unfortunately dropped out because of the time and the complexity involved in reaching them."

They added: “We understand the frustration of those who currently cannot access fibre broadband and have already met with the local MP to discuss options available to communities that have missed out this time around."

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow