Buyers of properties on Calne’s new Steeplechase estate have expressed frustration after months without a working phone and internet.

Gordon Park moved into York Road with his fiancée Patricia on April 16 after buying his house from Redrow, and is due to get married on July 5.

The previous owner had a phone and internet provider, but the couple decided to switch, opting for a television, telephone and internet package with Sky.

They have still not been connected and Mr Park, a project programmer for the MoD, has discovered there are not enough telephone lines to service all the properties on the estate.

The 42-year-old said: “This was confirmed by a BT Open-reach engineer working at the junction box last week.

“I said my understanding is that you need to lay another cable and he said ‘yes, but they have to go to the highways authority and get permission to shut the road’.

“You don’t realise how much you need something until it’s gone. The list is endless in terms of the frustration and inconvenience.”

Mags Stirling, 39, moved into York Road on January 24 and tried to switch providers from BT to Sky. She said: “We were supposed to have phone and internet fitted on February 6 but I got a text message saying there would be a problem and it has been ongoing since.

“The latest excuse is that there is a problem with the line and that BT Openreach need to do something out of hours. I’m just relying on my mobile.”

A spokesperson from BT Openreach, which is responsible for laying the cables, said they have provided cabling for 115 of 132 plots on the Steeplechase estate.

To provide the service to remaining properties, a new main distribution cable is needed, but engineers have also discovered damaged and blocked underground ducts.

This work is also being done out of hours because the estate is next to a busy road.

The spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for the long delay. The majority of properties can now order services and engineers are working to run 1.4km of new underground cable to ensure the entire development is connected.

“It is not possible to give a completion date but engineers will continue to work as quickly as possible and have already made considerable progress.”