HUNDREDS of homes have had their phones and internet cut off after thieves stole 350 metres of valuable high-capactiy underground copper cable.

The cabling was taken at the site of roadworks at the Whittington roundabout on the A4440 at Worcester between midnight Monday and the early hours of Tuesday.

Police are looking into whether thieves masqueraded as a legitimate road gang to make the theft look like it was part of the roadworks, and are urging witnesses to come forward.

Meanwhile, telecoms engineers from BT Openreach are now working “round the clock” to replace the cable and reconnect at least 200 households in the affected St Peter’s area.

It is understood several hundred homes have actually been disconnected.

BT are warning the work will take time because each home has to be re-connected individually, with the last of the connections taking until tomorrow.

Residents in St Peter’s called the Worcester News to say phonelines were out and they were not getting much information from BT about repairs.

But BT says it has been telling affected customers to contact their service providers for information.

A 35-year-old woman whose family live off St Peter’s Drive, but declined to be named, said the cable theft meant their elderly neighbour had had to use her mobile phone to call an ambulance for his sick wife.

“BT say speak to your service provider, but what they haven’t actually told us much,” she said. “I think BT should be taking this very seriously.”

Emma Tennant, BT spokeswoman, said: “We are working round the clock but this is a painstaking job, as we have to reconnect one customer at a time.

“It is extremely regrettable when we suffer any kind of attack on our network.

“Our priority is always to restore services to those affected as quickly as we can.”

BT says anyone affected should contact their provider if they want incoming calls diverted to an alternative number, such as a mobile, so they do not miss any incoming calls during repairs.

The length of cable stolen is almost three times the length of Worcester Cathedral, or equivalent to 23 buses parked end-to-end.

Experts say it is almost unthinkable the cabling could have been removed without the proper machinery or a well-organised effort.

Metal thefts have rocketed nationally in recent years due to the rising price of scrap metal, with legislation currently going through Parliament cracking down on the trade of metal for hard cash.

A West Mercia Police spokeswoman said officers were working with BT to investigate the theft.

“Anyone who may have seen anything in relation to the incident or any suspicious vehicles in the back roads off Crookbarrow Way on the night of March 12 and 13 should contact police,” she said.

Information can be passed to police by calling 0300 333 3000.