Villagers mount blockade to halt ‘eyesore’ broadband poles

 Residents of a village stopped workmen erecting “eyesore” telegraph poles in a conservation area by forming a blockade with their cars.

Steve Housby, who lives in Poulshot near Devizes, Wilts, spotted workers starting to put up poles for broadband, and called locals who turned out in force. Police and a Wiltshire council officer arrived and, after the contractors from HSC Worcester agreed to leave.

Geoff Collett, the parish council chairman, said the company employed by BT had begun without any consultation. He said: “The poles would be a terrible eyesore. The green is owned by the parish council and we have had no consultation or paperwork of any kind from Wiltshire council or BT. What they were doing is criminal damage.

A Wiltshire council spokesman said it had asked for the work to stop pending a review. An Openreach spokesman said it would liaise with the council to address locals’ concerns.