Mobile phone users have been left with no signal over the festive period due to a problem with a mast.

O2 and Tesco Mobile customers have struggled to get any service in large areas of Sandwich since before Christmas. Many have complained that the signal is poor in general.

Andy Style, of School Road, who has been unable to use his phone since Christmas Eve, said: “My mum was rushed to hospital and was on death’s door but I didn’t get any more contact other than walking up Woodnesborough Road.”

Dean Macey, who lives in Eastry and is the co-owner of taxi firm Sandwich Cars, said: “I have no O2 signal in Sandwich and neither does my daughter or many friends. It effects work as we are having to stay out of town to acquire a phone signal.

“I find it wrong we are all charged full fees. We have signal problems along the Deal Road, the Eastry bypass, and Tilmanstone has no signal. The new Ramsgate bypass also has a loss of signal. I was told a signal doesn’t have to be available to honour the contract. They are rude and couldn’t care less.”

Another resident Stuart Silk said: “EE has been terrible in Sandwich for over two years. The last straw was when I had no decent signal in Deal or Dover. O2 has been much better.”

A spokesman for O2 said testing would begin on a faulty mast on Tuesday this week.

He said: “We apologise for the inconvenience. Customers can download the O2 TUGo app which enables calls on any WiFi-connected device using their mobile number.”