Bilsdale transmitter fire: TV and radio for 1m off air indefinitely

TV and radio services for more than a million people will remain off air indefinitely after a transmitter fire.

The blaze at the Bilsdale mast on Tuesday disrupted Freeview and FM radio signals across North Yorkshire, Teesside and part of County Durham.

Operator Arqiva said it would bring in temporary equipment but could not say when services would be restored.

Witness Ron Needham, 71, reported seeing "a huge black cloud of smoke come from the buildings at the bottom".

He had been hiking on the North York Moors with his wife Sue, 69, when they stopped for lunch at the base of the mast.

They noticed "nothing untoward" but after continuing for about a mile and a half noticed smoke coming from the top "like a chimney", Mr Needham said.

Firefighters were sent to the site at 13:19 BST on Tuesday after a call from an engineer working on the transmitter near Helmsley.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said there were "concerns about the structural integrity of the mast" and a 300m (984ft) exclusion zone is in place around it.

Arqiva confirmed that no-one was injured by the fire and thanked emergency services "for their swift action".

"Our teams are currently mobilising temporary equipment to site however we are unable to provide specific timelines for restoration of any services," a spokesperson said.

The 315m (1,032ft) tall tower was built in 1969 and provides coverage for homes across northern England, from Tadcaster to Seaham.

BBC TV for Teesside, North Yorkshire and County Durham is available on iPlayer. Radio stations are available on BBC Sounds.

The services affected include:

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