Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards has said he is doing all he can to have phone lines repaired in two Towy Valley villages which have been left with a connection for more than two weeks.

Residents of Cwmdu and Salem have had no phone lines since bad weather caused damage to the cables serving the villages.

Mr Edwards said he had been contacted by a number of residents who have asked him to take up the problem with BT.

After speaking with the office of the BT chief executive, Mr Edwards reassured householders that engineers were conducting a full assessment of the damage to restore phone lines as soon as possible.

“We know that many Carmarthenshire communities suffer with appalling mobile phone signal,” said Mr Edwards.

“For a great deal of residents – particularly in Cwmdu and Salem - the land line is their main method of contact.

“Similarly, the loss of land line impacts upon those who are usually able to work from home.

“What concerns me most is the older residents who depend on their phones for their life-line service.

“My office is in regular contact with BT and I’m doing all I can to get some answers as to when the service is likely to be restored.”