A NUISANCE tree has been blamed for the mobile phone blackout in Mauchline for the past SIX weeks.

The Chronicle told two weeks ago how O2 customers in Mauchline had no mobile phone signal - meaning anyone under an O2 contract, including businesses, were left unable to make or receive phone calls and texts.

Now 02 has revealed that the problem, which was briefly corrected last week, has been caused by a tree interfering with the O2 mast on Sorn Road.

Discussions are planned between O2 and the landowner where the O2 mast sits to come to a solution.

One local business badly effected by the blackout was Milligan’s Coach Travel. Company Secretary, Morag Milligan had had enough after the latest failure and complained to O2 who told here that to get out of her contract she would have to cough up almost £130 in termination fees.

O2 later corrected this, giving her a months free landline and waiving any termination fees owed.