04 Jan 2013
Thousands of homes had their television and radio services disrupted by a suspected arson attack at the site of a transmitter.
Firefighters went to the fire in Bathampton, near Bath in North Somerset, shortly before 6am yesterday. The blaze was extinguished but it caused damage which led to a power cut, affecting an estimated 80,000 residential properties in the Bath area.
Engineers have now managed to restore the services but freeview television channels were affected along with BBC Radio Bristol and both digital and analogue radio channels.
A spokesman for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said a couple of outbuildings had been set alight off Golf Course Road. The emergency services were alerted to the blaze at 5.45am and crews from Bath were sent to the incident.
The police are also investigating as it is believed the fire was started deliberately.
Sky customers and people living in the south of Bath who receive their signal from a different transmitter were not affected by the fire.
Copyright Press Association 2013