Villagers have resorted to “waving mobile phones in the air” after constant signal problems.

Customers of mobile phone providers EE, Three and Virgin living in Pirton have not been able to make or receive phone calls or text messages intermittently for more than a week.

Villages had the same problem over a six-week period between April and May.

Janet Shadbolt, who has lived in Pirton for six years, is with EE.

She said: “It is diabolical, I have to go to the bottom of my garden to try and get a signal. This should not be happening in this day and age. I have to use my landline or walk around with my mobile phone in the air to try to get a signal.”

Malcolm Kelsey, the landlord of The Fox pub in the High Street, said: “I have lost trade because of this, some of the customers who pop in here are self-employed and they now have stopped coming in here because they can’t receive or make calls.

“I have called EE a number of times and on Monday night spent an hour on the phone to them and was told someone would call me back, but so far nobody has. We can’t even call 999 in case of an emergency.”

All three providers said they were aware of a problem with a mast and are investigating.