Horning: O2 apologises to MP over nesting seagulls mast mix-up

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker says he has received an apology from O2 after he was wrongly told seagulls were nesting in a mast in his constituency

A phone company has blamed a "mix-up" after wrongly telling an MP seagulls nesting in a mast were affecting his constituents' mobile coverage.

North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker raised the issue earlier at Prime Minister's Questions and said the lack of phone signal was risking public safety.

However, O2 has now said: "We erroneously gave him information relating to another site."

Mr Baker said: "I don't think I've ever dealt with such a dog's breakfast."

The network provider initially confirmed to the MP that there were gull-related issues in Horning before back-tracking to say the affected temporary mast was, in fact, at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich.

"The bottom line is we need to get this working again. No wonder my poor residents don't know what's going on", Mr Baker added.

"I want this enormous multi-national company hauled over the coals, fix the problem.

"Then somebody who has given out this wrong information - mixing up the masts - needs to be dealt with accordingly."

Seagulls were blamed for the lack of mobile phone reception in a swathe of villages along the Norfolk Broads, but they had actually been nesting 12 miles away in Norwich

People living in a cluster of villages around Horning on the Norfolk Broads have said they have been unable to use their mobile phones and access 4G for about a month.

Various explanations were given by phone companies to villagers before Conservative MP Mr Baker became involved.

He said he was told on Tuesday by 02 that seagulls had started nesting in a temporary mast in Horning before it could be switched on and they could not be moved until the chicks had fledged.

But the network provider has now corrected its earlier updates and said the affected temporary mast was, in fact, at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich.

"There has been a bit of a mix-up between us and Duncan Baker MP's office here which has caused some confusion," said an O2 spokesman.

'Our fault'

"This is entirely our fault - he asked us for information about a site in his constituency but we erroneously gave him information relating to another site - still in Norfolk (central Norwich) but completely unrelated to Horning.

"We corrected this as soon as we realised and we have apologised to Duncan for this mix-up."

Earlier in Parliament, Mr Baker said the issue of nesting seagulls would be "comical" if it was not "so serious"."In Horning on the Norfolk Broads, I have a whole area totally cut off from having a mobile signal until August, because of nesting seagulls taking up residency in the new telecoms mast.

"Gulls are protected, the nest can't be moved, but let's say a family holidaying on the Norfolk Broads gets into distress this summer, they will not be able to make an emergency call which could be life-threatening."

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said at PMQs there was a balance to be struck between protecting wildlife and people's access to communications

He even asked the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden to help him call on Natural England to be "sensible" and ensure for "public safety reasons we can get a mobile phone mast working in a prime holiday location".

Mr Dowden told him he would "take it up with Natural England."

Following O2's apology, Mr Baker told BBC Radio Norfolk: "The mast we are now referring to is still being decommissioned around the Horning area is at RAF Neatishead - that is the one we are now investigating into why it's being decommissioned.

"But the real problem is that all of the Horning area still has not got any mobile reception.

"Quite frankly, I'm not surprised as O2 don't seem to know what the left hand is doing from the right hand."

Mr Baker said he was now asking senior managers at the firm why there was such an issue with poor coverage in a high tourism area.

Adrienne Seddon of Horning Post Office and Shop said she had struggled to find out what had gone wrong with her mobile phone signal

While fears have been voiced about stranded boat hirers being able to raise the alarm in emergencies, local shopkeepers have struggled to take card payments.

Adrienne Seddon, from Horning Post Office and Shop, said she had been among those who had seen their mobile reception drop out.

"It is frustrating - there are people far worse off than us, but the issue covers a wide area," she told BBC Radio Norfolk.