Catholic priest in Littlehampton left without internet or a phone for weeks: ‘He is near a breakdown’

Father Carl Davies returned to St Catherine’s Church in Beach Road, where he also lives, on August 19 to find that the phone lines were down and he had no internet connection.

It became clear that cables on a nearby telegraph pole had been damaged by an overhanging tree.

But Fr Davies, 67, said he has been caught in the middle of a dispute between BT and Arun District Council over who was responsible for fixing it.

He said: “When this pandemic started, we were supposed to be ‘in it together’, and this has really evaporated.

“The attitudes of BT and the district council have so dismayed and saddened me.”

The dispute stemmed from Arun being responsible for the tree, and BT the telegraph pole – and neither were willing to accept the blame, Fr Davies said.

In the meantime, the priest still had to celebrate funerals, contact his flock and be on call to visit people in hospital if needed. The hall next door was also being used by the NHS blood transfusion service, so they needed to be able to contact him.

He added: “It has been personally difficult for me because I am having to go into hospital for an operation, and I have been very worried about the hospital contacting me.”

He was then told the church might have to foot the bill – which was branded as ‘disgusting’ by Cate Peppard, a member of his congregation who with her husband Paul had been helping him.

She said: “He has been in a terrible state. I feel like he is near a breakdown.”

Fr Davies said: “I can’t believe the local authority would treat an ordinary family like this.”

Arun said ‘the internet provider’ was responsible for the tree work but ‘it seems this did not happen’ so they removed ‘the offending branch’ so a new line could be installed and the internet service and phone connection have been restored.

Paul said the church had not heard anything further about being charged for the works.