CAMPAIGNERS fighting to gain high-speed internet access for Wolverley and Cookley fear a change of plan by BT could delay the arrival of the service by up to a year.

The telecommunications giant was poised to hook up the two villages when 500 computer users expressed an interest but has now said it will do the work anyway - next summer.

The news has angered campaigners who claim they were only weeks away from getting the right number of people to come forward.

Campaign co-ordinator Trevor Clare said: "We were collecting over 100 new registrations per week and expected to reach the trigger within another two weeks. Now we have to tell people BT have cancelled the scheme overnight without giving any notice.

"This means some telephone exchanges, including Wolverley, may have to wait longer depending on BT's assessment of the work to be carried out."

Wyre Forest district councillor for Cookley Chris Nicholls - who last month appealed to residents through the Shuttle/Times and News to register their interest in the scheme - added: "Just as the campaign was within reach of the target BT moves the goalposts.

"This decision means broadband might not be available as soon as under the old scheme."

Yet BT spokeswoman Emma Tennant said it was impossible to say at this stage how soon the villages would be connected, but said the high number of registrations would work in their favour.

She said: "How close an exchange was to reaching its trigger level will be a key consideration. We will not know until June when each area will have broadband."

The latest scheme by BT will increase broadband availability to Worcestershire to 99.6 per cent from 81.6 per cent.

The exchange at Arley is also in line for upgrading as part of the programme.