FURIOUS residents were left staring at blank TV screens after a communal aerial system failed for the second time in a month.

People living in Scotland Bank Terrace, Blackburn, were left without television for most of the Christmas holiday when the communal system broke down.

The town hall later admitted the problem was caused by a tenant who switched the system's power off before leaving her property.

And scores of people living in the Ewood street have been without television for more than two days after the communal aerial went on the blink again when the latest tenants switched it off!

Blackburn with Darwen Council and contractors Blick Telefusion have promised to put the problem right but residents are still furious.

Pensioner Alice Phillips said: "The whole situation is absolutely ridiculous and it is about time the town hall got together with this company to sort the problem out.

"In this day and age you would have thought they would have the technology to design an aerial system which actually works.

"We have had nothing but trouble with this system and surely the time has come to look at replacing it."

Mrs Phillips added: "People round here are getting sick and tired of being messed around by the council.

"It seems common-sense if they know the aerial doesn't work properly to do something about it."

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said the sets were now working again and measures had been taken to prevent a switch off ever happening again.

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