Earlier this year residents, Parish Councillors and businesses in Fownhope were devastated after plans to improve mobile phone coverage in the village were withdrawn.

Fownhope had been ear marked for inclusion in the Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) – a nationwide government investment of £150m to improve mobile black spots when a proposal for a new mast was dropped.

But now mobile phone users in Fownhope will be able to put years of poor, or no signal, behind them, as Vodaphone has chosen the village for its Rural Open Sure Signal 100 programme. While the village continues its fight for a new mast this technology – which goes live in 2015 – will help residents access the internet. Full report in this week's Gazette.