PARTS of East Lancashire could be without proper access to Channel 5 or digital television for five years, it has been revealed.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson has pressed the Government in Parliament for changes after it was revealed many of her constituents could not receive a proper signal.

The Government is planning to switch off normal television after 2010, which will leave licence payers relying on digital signals. But many areas in Darwen and Rossendale cannot receive such a signal thanks to the surrounding landscape, with hills blocking transmissions.

Now a Government minister has revealed that nothing will be done to improve the situation until the switch-off is carried out.

Today residents slammed the decision, which will also leave them without freeview channels.

Christine Oldfield, of Redearth Road, Darwen, said: "I think that nowadays it should be available everywhere, especially with modern technology.

"They only think of the majority, never the minority."

Norma Gooding, of Bridleway, Waterfoot, is forced to use a satellite dish to receive Channel 5.

She said: "I can only get Channel 5 because I have Sky. Without it I can't get it at all. We use a communal aerial here because it used to be sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

"If you haven't got Sky round here you just can't get Channel 5, and I like to watch it quite a lot."

Freeview, or digital television, boasts crystal clear pictures, a number of extra channels including shopping, history, music and travel shows, and interactive options.

On www.freeview.co.uk householders can enter their postcode and check if they can receive a digital signal. The centre of Darwen, Ramsbottom and Helmshore are currently all out of range.

Now Janet Anderson, a former Broadcasting Minister, has taken up the issue with Junior Media Minister James Purnell at Westminster.

But he said: "The current availability of freeview is restricted in much of the constituency because of the local terrain which means that, until switchover from analogue to digital, the local transmitter at Winter Hill can only broadcast signals at low strength. At switchover, I expect the power of these signals to be increased significantly.

"Similarly, Winter Hill carries Channel Five at reduced power compared to the first four channels, and the areas reliant on the relay transmitter network will not be able to receive it until switchover."

Mrs Anderson said: "We don't want to see people losing their current TV service because of an early switch to digital.

"But I think the government could look at a staged approach to the switchover to digital, perhaps bringing it into the North West where there are problems for signals for Channel 5 and freeview early."