Vodaphone customers in the HD8 area being hit by technical problems.

Many living and working in the HD8 area found themselves without a mobile signal for six days following a mast fault.

Residents and businesses in Shepley, Shelley, Highburton and Kirkburton found themselves cut off on Thursday.

The signal didn’t return until Tuesday morning, residents said and many are still experiencing problems.

Kathryn Harris, who works for a car spare parts company in Shelley, said she is switching networks after struggling with an unreliable signal – or no signal – for several days.

Ms Harris, who runs Huddersfield Volvo Breakers at Long Moor Lane, Shelley, said: “From Thursday last week there had been no network coverage in Shelley, Shepley, Highburton and Kirkburton and I heard people had had problems in Honley.

“It’s been on and off. I don’t get an acceptable service so I’m moving to EE.

“It’s a big inconvenience but as long as I’ve got wi-fi it’s not too bad.”

A Shepley resident added: “When you try to call someone from your phone it just beeps and there’s concern about being able to contact your relatives and your work.

“It’s always a poor mobile service out here. You can’t send anything using a dongle – it takes so long that the battery of your laptop is flat by the time you’ve sent one picture.

“I’ve had to drive to other places just to use my phone.”

A Vodafone UK spokesperson said one of its masts in the area had developed a fault.

She said: “We’re sorry if some of our customers may have been experiencing problems in the area.

“We’ve been making some technology improvements this week. However, one of the masts in the area developed a fault.

“Our team continue to monitor and we hope to have service back to normal very soon.”

Last year, dozens of people living in Marsden and surrounding areas had problems finding a mobile signal, leaving them unable to use their phones at home and while out and about.

Coverage problems in the HD8 area were also reported to Vodafone in August 2013.