FIVE South Oxfordshire villages are leading the race to be among the first commmunities in the UK to have the next generation of super-fast broadband.

Blewbury, Upton, West Hagbourne, Aston Tirrold and Aston Upthorpe, which share the same telephone exchange, have gathered more than 1,000 votes in the BT Race to Infinity promotion.

The winner of the contest will be the exchange area that produces the highest percentage of votes from local residents by December 31. The exchange will then be upgraded using fibre optic cable to provide fast broadband to residents and businesses.

Latest figures show the Blewbury exchange area is leading the way with more than 83 per cent of the population signed up, just ahead of Caxton in Cambridgeshire.

Commercial writer Chris Whatmore has been leading the campaign for Blewbury, and as well as launching a social media campaign, his team have been knocking on doors and meeting in pubs to raise awareness.

Mr Whatmore, who lives in Blewbury, said: “Faster broadband is essential for people running businesses and for residents wanting to view Internet-based television programmes, download videos and for applications such as Skype.

“The existing network is reaching its limit and the future lies with fibre optic cable.

“We are in the countryside and normally BT will get round to upgrading us last.

“We don’t want to be left behind – this is our chance of getting ahead but we still need people to vote.”

The Government wants to see high-speed broadband rolled out across the country by 2015 but winning the Race to Infinity will mean Blewbury will have its exchange upgraded three years earlier.

Mr Whatmore said there were just 1,236 premises connected to the exchange and even people not on the Internet were signing the petition.

“People recognise it’s important for the community as a whole,” he said.

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey, who heads the Government’s broadband delivery UK taskforce, said: “It’s wonderful to see the Blewbury exchange leading the pack to get broadband enabled.

“I will be delighted if they win the crown.”