Parish Councillors and businesses in Fownhope were left in shock last week after plans to improve mobile phone coverage in the village were withdrawn.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 pots. However, a mast which was proposed for Tump Farm, which would have provided at least 2G mobile reception within a 3 mile radius, has now been dropped, according to Arqiva, the organisation tasked with delivering the project. Peter Wingate-Saul, Arqiva's National Community Relations manager said: "We are not progressing a Mobile Infrastructure Project site in the Fownhope area at this time.

"Arqiva, working closely with the Department of Culture Media and Sport and the Mobile Network Operators, will be providing an update to local authorities about the proposed MIP sites throughout July and August."

Fownhope Parish Councillor Mike Simmons said that the village had originally welcomed the news of a new mast because the mobile reception is notoriously patchy in the area.

,br>Mike said: "Fownhope is not without mobile coverage but it is very bad, very patchy and you live in hope for the signal. Read the full story in this week's Ross Gazette