RESIDENTS in West Oxfordshire have been struggling with their phone signal for at least five days due to a broken phone mast.

Engineers have not yet identified the problem in the OX18 area, which covers a large part of West Oxfordshire from Bampton to Burford.

This has left phone users without the ability to make calls, send texts or use internet data, with no update on when the problems will be fixed.

Twitter user @Charmedmuse wrote: “Proof that rural areas are not important to big business five days & counting NOT GOOD ENOUGH.”

An O2 spokesperson said: “Our engineers are working to optimise the mast in Bampton.

“We apologise to our customers in the area for any inconvenience caused and we will work to fix the issue as quickly as possible."

The issue was identified in OX18 2AD, which covers part of Bampton village.

But it could be affecting homes outside of the area.

It is the second time in less than a year that properties in West Oxfordshire have experienced problems with phone masts.

O2’s rival Vodafone drew residents’ ire in November last year after installing a new mast.

Homeowners in Kingham, near Chipping Norton, accused telecoms giant Vodafone of riding roughshod over the residents of the Cotswold village after installing the ‘factory chimney-like’ mast without any consultation.

It has annoyed the parish council and residents, some of whom have said Vodafone ignored Government guidelines before putting the mast in the village.