Some still without phone or internet since Darragh

Nearly two weeks since Storm Darragh hit, some households in Wales remain without a phone line and broadband.

Michael Cordell, 69, who lives in Carmarthenshire said about 100 neighbouring properties still have no communications.

With his village lacking mobile signal too, he said they can only hope they will be reinstated before Christmas.

Openreach, which handles connection maintenance for service provider BT, said it has escalated its response, which resulted from hundreds of telegraph poles and overhead cables being damaged.

Mr Cordell, from Trap, said: "As far as the telephone lines and the broadband go, we're still without power.

"We have no communications and can't use broadband, WhatsApp or the internet at all."

Describing the situation as "frustrating", he added that people are having to drive four or five miles to get signal.

Mr Cordell said he was told on 9 December by BT that he would be reinstated on 12 December, but nothing happened.

Another date of 17 December was given, but the problem remained unresolved.

"BT told me an engineer had been sent out but a more experienced or senior engineer was required," said Mr Cordell.

"That's when the date was put back to the 27 December and that's where we stand at the moment."

Near Tregaron in Ceredigion, Carol Coltman, 66, is also without a phone line and broadband.

She said the situation made looking after her 87-year-old mum, who has numerous health conditions, very difficult.

Not having much signal where they live and no landline to call from, Ms Coltman said she had to walk around her garden trying to get a signal if she wanted to phone for an ambulance.

She added that she had also been given several dates in relation to the problem being resolved.

"It's made me very anxious and frustrated that BT just don't seem to care," said Ms Coltman.

A spokesperson for Openreach said it had received more than 7,500 reports of damage from the public following Storm Darragh and had been "working around the clock in all weather to restore service".

They added efforts to restore service "required a combination of tree cutting and telegraph pole replacement".

Apologising for the inconvenience caused they said engineers are "working to get everybody back online".