A campaign to get Broadband for villages on the Woodborough telephone exchange is about to bear fruit, says leader Fiona Burgess.

In September Mrs Burgess, who lives in Woodborough, discovered that no-one had started a campaign to get the fast internet service made available in the village and others around on the same telephone exchange.

Although some 40 local people had registered on the BT website, the telecom company had not set a threshold of the minimum number required which, Mrs Burgess learned, was vital before a campaign could start.

She sought support from other villages covered by the Marlborough 851 and 852 prefixes including Alton Barnes, Alton Priors, Stanton St Bernard, St Gore, Bottlesford, Hilcott, Manningford Bohune and Wilsford.

"I managed to find people in those villages who would take up the cudgel beside me," said Mrs Burgess.

A fact sheet was taken door to door to help the campaign gather momentum and a meeting was held in the Seven Stars pub at Bottlesford.

Mrs Burgess said: "Converting the sceptics was tricky, many people thought that Broadband was irrelevant to them and, therefore, wouldn't sign up at all.

"Or they thought they would receive junk mail through Broadband or have to part with money.

"We had to convince them that local businesses would benefit as they could conduct more of their trade on-line and run their own websites."

Mrs Burgess said it was explained that more people could work from home and run their business from home with Broadband and save many people from having to commute to work.

Alternatives to BT were discussed, said Mrs Burgess, but ruled out because they would require an upfront connection fee of between £100-200.

Thanks to the villagers' efforts, the number of Broadband supporters gradually rose to more than 100.

Last week BT told Mrs Burgess that Woodborough had been set a target of 150. "So we are nearly there," she said.

The campaigners will be meeting again at the Seven Stars on December 9, at 8pm, and are inviting anyone from the Woodborough exchange villages interested in receiving Broadband to attend.