A VULNERABLE pensioner living with terminal cancer says she has been left feeling isolated and helpless since her phone line was disconnected more than one month ago.

Ann Kayani from Foxfield has been living with Hodgkin's Lymphoma since 2011, when she was given just five years to live.

Now the 75-year-old lives alone and still has regular contact with her doctors, hospice and family but has been without her landline since August 21.

She said: "I've felt so cut off and alone - I have had a lot going on, it's been awful, just the sense of isolation.

"I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma so I'm just always aware that it could flare up at any time.

"I just don't feel confident and I think it's quite shocking and it's a very cavalier attitude to leave an old person like this.

"I really don't know what the problem is and I told them I was a vulnerable person.

"I've had such a lot of anxiety about this and I try the phone every day to see if it's working.

"I could have done without the stress - I feel wobbly and helpless."

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Although Mrs Kayani owns a mobile phone and is not completely disconnected, she cannot always hear the device ring through her hearing aids and says she is not entirely proficient in how to use it properly.

The Skelly Crag resident says she is not the right generation to understand technological jargon and has granted her son Andre power of attorney so he can contact telecoms company Fleur about the problem.

A spokesperson for Fleur confirmed the issue was being caused by collapsed underground ducting, owned by BT Openreach and they were "completely reliant" on the company to serve their customers.

They added: "In this case, an underground repair is required and due to legislation, Openreach must carry out that repair.

"We understand this is frustrating for the user and we would like to provide an assurance that, as is the case in all similar situations, we are doing all we can to ensure that the repair is carried out by Openreach as swiftly as possible.

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"We have been updating the customer’s son on a very regular basis throughout the period to which the fault relates, and we have provided the customer with a complimentary wireless dongle as a means of temporary, interim communication.

"We sympathise entirely with the customer’s circumstances and will of course continue to remain in close touch."

Mrs Kayani added that she was still "really upset" by the situation.

Read the full statement from Fleur:

A Fleur spokesman said: "The issue is being caused by collapsed underground ducting owned and managed by Openreach, the national infrastructure arm of BT.

"As is the case for all third party communications providers, we are completely reliant on Openreach in order to serve our customers effectively. In this case, an underground repair is required.

"Due to legislation, Openreach must carry out that repair.

"We understand that this is frustrating for the end user and we would like to provide an assurance that, as is the case in all similar situations, we are doing all we can to ensure that the repair is carried out by Openreach as swiftly as possible.

"The location of the fault in this case is very close to a railway line, which we understand is proving additionally challenging for Openreach with regard to access and associated health and safety issues.

"We are assured that they are doing all they can, as swiftly as they can, to resolve these issues. We have been updating the customer’s son on a very regular basis throughout the period to which the fault relates, and we have provided the customer with a complimentary wireless dongle as a means of temporary, interim communication.

"We sympathise entirely with the customer’s circumstances and will of course continue to remain in close touch."

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