A communications company is hopeful of restoring phone lines to residents before Christmas after six weeks of delays.

BT Openreach is working to restore phone communications to 26 homes in West Dean and Litlington after phone lines were damaged by water.

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has written to both British Telecom and East Sussex County Council to demand an explanation as to why phone connection has been lost for up to six weeks claiming the company's response was “simply not good enough”.

A BT Openreach spokesman said that the firm needed to replace 70 metres of underground cable, but unfortunately the work was delayed by a blocked duct and the need to close a road to do the work.

A road closure had been booked but was cancelled following with a clash with another road closure nearby on the same date.

Now the duct has been cleared and new cable has been run and connected, Openreach engineers are currently working on the remaining faults and hoped to finally resolve the issue by Christmas Eve at latest.

A spokesman added: “BT will be contacting its customers who have been affected to discuss compensation and a goodwill gesture with each customer on an individual basis.

“Customers of other companies should contact their provider to discuss compensation.”