Thousands without internet after rats chew through cables in Devon

Engineers are trying to repair broadband wires that were chewed by rats in Devon

Rats have reportedly chewed through broadband wires in Devon, leaving 1,800 homes without internet connection. (AFP via Getty Images)

Thousands of homes in Devon are left without internet this morning, as rats reportedly chewed through broadband wires.

Around 1,800 homes in the Torridge area of the city are affected by the blackout.

Engineers from Openreach, who provide services for BT, Vodafone, Plusnet, Sky and others are working to resolve the problem but gave no estimated repair time.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “Our telephone and broadband network in and around the Bideford, Clovelly, Hartland and Horns Cross exchange areas has been damaged by rodents.

“Our engineers are working hard to get the repairs done quickly and safely; we don’t have an estimated repair time yet but will keep you updated as they progress.

They said they understood the frustration of those affected but thanked them for their patience and encouraged people to report issues to their service provider.

This blackout comes after a 22-hour internet outage in Torridge just last week.