A NEW temporary mast at Bilsdale in North Yorkshire has been switched on, helping to restore TV services to approximately 95 per cent of households across the region.

The switch on of the 80-metre mast means that people across the area will now need to retune their TV sets, said Arqiva, the company that runs the mast.

A guide on how to do this can be found at bilsdalemast.co.uk

An Arqiva spokesperson said not everyone is covered by the switch on, and around 23,000 homes remain in the so-called “not-spot” areas, where TV services are still affected.

Help is being offered to people aged over 65, the clinically vulnerable and other vulnerable people with carers, who can call a freephone line – 0800 121 4828 - and engineers can be scheduled to visit their homes.

The original Bilsdale mast was damaged in a fire on August 10, leading to hundreds of thousands of people losing TV signals.

In addition, people living in the “not-spot” areas where services are not restored by the switch on will receive a voucher. The voucher can be redeemed in store and online, and more details will follow.

The value covers the cost of an alternative fix which can be chosen from a range of products which will provide ways to receive free to air TV, including a Roku stick device and an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Letters will be sent out to homes on how to claim the vouchers.

Paul Donovan, Arqiva’s chief executive officer, said: “I want to pay tribute to the work and commitment of our teams working around the clock on the moor at Bilsdale to get this temporary mast finished quickly and safely.

"It is an important step in Project Restore to getting services back across the region, but there is much more work to be done.

“We remain absolutely committed to supporting the most vulnerable people affected by the loss of TV services, and today we are setting out our latest steps to do just that, working with our partners.”