Sir — On August 18, I returned from holiday to find my telephone line dead. On ringing up I discover that BT has decided for reasons unknown that I have not paid my bill and therefore should be disconnected.

On August 20, I receive my quarterly bill and in the same post and with the same date a notice of termination — before I can pay!

On September 2, the line again seems to be working but then I find no one can ring me. After two days on the phone to BT someone suggests that they have not given me the number published on the letter of reconnection but a completely different one!

On September 9, the line is reconnected to my original number. On September 13, the line goes dead again and I receive in the post a bill for £101 as a fine for breaking my contract — ie for disconnecting my own line!

I ring and am told that I have been sent a cheque for £101 for monies owed. When I point out that I received a bill not a cheque I am told to ignore it! No cheque has as yet arrived.

I ask for an engineer for September 15 and am told that I must agree to pay £116 in advance as it must be an internal problem in my house. I do not believe it is but have to agree in advance.

My friends ringing me find that my house phone is going through to my mobile. I ring BT and they say — yes indeed “did we not tell you we had diverted your line”!

September 15, the engineer arrives and finds that the line has been connected to a telephone point in the lodger’s room which has not been active for years!

If I could have foreseen any of these gambits, life would have been so much more . . . fun?

How does BT come up with such original ways in which to compound their original dumbness?

Felicity Cormack, Faringdon