The BBC is reporting that its radio and television services via the Bilsdale mast will be off indefinitely.

Normally one million people including residents of York, Tadcaster and large sections of North Yorkshire can receive Freeview television and DAB and FM radio from the transmitter.

But yesterday (Tuesday) a major fire put it completely out of action. A 300 metre exclusion zone remains in place around it.

Click here for advice from the BBC on what to do if you have been affected.

The BBC quoted a spokesman for the mast's operator Arqiva as saying: "Our teams are currently mobilising temporary equipment to site however we are unable to provide specific timelines for restoration of any services."

Arqiva advises people not to retune their televisions and radios but to be patient and use internet catch-up services.

The BBC says its television programmes can still be accessed via the internet on BBC iPlayer and its radio programmes via BBC Sounds.

Bilsdale mast stands 315 metres (1,032 feet) tall between Chop Gate and Helmsley on the North York Moors serves homes from Tadcaster to Seaham near Sunderland and from Scarborough to Barnard Castle.

The services off air include BBC Radios 1-4, BBC Radio Tees and BBC DAB, commercial television such as ITV and Channel 4, commercial radio stations SDL, North Yorkshire DAB, BAUER Teesside, Digital 1, TFM, Capital, Heart and Classic FM.

Satellite and cable services across the area are not affected and BBC services are available via them.

North Yorkshire firefighters from six crews fought and extinguished the fire which started early yesterday afternoon. They say it included the tower itself.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.

Arqiva has said no-one was injured.

An Arquiva spokesperson told The Press: “Following the incident at Bilsdale yesterday  our teams continue to work with the emergency services to ensure the safety of the site.

"We have started the process to gradually restore services using a combination of temporary structures and existing infrastructure elsewhere in the region, and will be moving through this process as quickly and safely as possible.

"We will continue to share updates as we have them."