Addingham residents say they are getting a poor reception from BBC bosses.

They claim broadcasting chiefs have revealed the village may have to wait up to a decade to receive their favourite programmes in crystal clear stereo.

People in the village have been complaining for years that the area receives poor radio reception, particularly on the FM waveband.

This leads to problems picking up the BBCs four flagship radio stations in most parts of Addingham without fitting a booster aerial.

Now the village's parish council has been astounded to learn that it could be the year 2010 before the problem is rectified.

The council decided to take on the people's plight and wrote to the BBC asking for something to be done to improve reception.

But the reply they got stated that no new FM transmitters were to be built in the area because of the advent of digital radio.

Coun Lisle Richardson commented: "That is not an answer - it is ridiculous. It is going to be the year 2010 before we see digital radio."

He said that on a previous occasion the BBC had stated that an FM transmitter - known as a relay - had been planned to serve the village.

Coun Alan Jerome said it was "unacceptable and absurd" that Addingham radio listeners should miss out on a proper reception.

"More and more radio receivers only have FM and you are limited to the reception you can get," he said. "I think we ought to write and complain again."

Coun Jerome added that there were many blind and partially-sighted people in the village who relied on radio, but they were being let down by a poor service.

He said Addingham residents had expected progress since they last contacted the BBC around six years ago, but instead the village was worse off.

Transmitters which broadcast BBC radio programmes are owned and run by a company called Castle Tower Transmitters.

The Herald contacted the BBC for a comment but no-one was available at the time of going to press.

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