Around 1,800 Bradford homes were left without a phone service for over four hours yesterday after a mistake by road contractors.

A fibre optic phone line belonging to Telewest, owners of Yorkshire Cable, was accidentally cut through at roadworks in Bolton at around 2pm.

Resident Ellis Suddards, 54, only realised his home had been hit when a friend called him on a mobile to say he couldn't get through on the land line.

Mr Suddards, who has been unable to work since suffering a heart attack, said: "I know three or four people in this street alone who have been cut off.

"What are old or unwell people, who rely on their phones, meant to do?"

A Telewest spokesman said the firm quickly sent a team of its own engineers to the scene, at Bolton Road's junction with Lister Lane and Queen's Road.

He said: "Our own contractors repaired the damage and we apologise to customers for the loss of service."