Sir – As you have reported in your columns, the copper cable between Stanton Harcourt and Eynsham was stolen on July 27 and more the next night.

British Telecom persists in refusing to put a message on the affected lines that they are temporarily out of service and, therefore, to anyone telephoning those numbers finds the lines ringing out as normal.

This results in the answer machine becoming full and still gives no intimation that there is a problem. Ten days later, our lines remain down.

It would be helpful, in what is already an inconvenient situation for all, especially the elderly and home workers, if BT could ensure that callers are made aware that those lines are not functioning and also give an idea of the timing of resumption of normal service.

Charles Mathew, Oxfordshire county councillor for the division of Eynsham