BAFFLED residents have been left furious after their TVs started showing Welsh language channels.

People in parts of East Lancashire have not been able to receive either BBC North West and Channel Four since the digital switchover.

Instead, they are being entertained by the Cardiff-based S4C channel, which broadcasts the majority of its programs in Welsh, and BBC Cymru Wales.

A spokesperson for Digital UK said that it had received hundreds of calls from households in the region who were receiving Welsh TV.

He said that it was due to the new Moel y Parc transmitter, near Denbigh, north east Wales, which had a strong signal which had increased its coverage.

Despite being 90 miles away from Blackburn it is providing a stronger signal in some areas than Winter Hill, near Rivington.

Living on high ground and the direction of the aerial on top of homes could also effect signal transmissions, he said.

Ribble Valley is one of the worst affected areas, the organisation confirmed.

Council leader Michael Ranson said he was absolutely appalled that he could not access his usual channels.

He said: “I tried to re-tune my freeview set and I just keeping getting BBC Wales and S4C instead of local news and I am not the only one.

“It is absolute nonsense that we can’t get access to Channel 4 and BBC North West.

"Many of my neighbours are the same and all the advice is just so confusing.”

Meanwhile, the owner of Dugdales Digital, a television and satellite business in Clitheroe, said he had received more than 150 calls from households over the past three days.

David Dugdale said: “It has been absolutely manic, I don’t know how I have kept my sanity.

“People are having a lot of problems receiving the wrong channels and some people didn’t have any channels at all.

“It can be sorted out as its just a tuning issue but I’m just not sure whether we’ll be able to get round to everyone who needs our help.

"It’s just so busy.”

Brian Todd, member of the Older People’s Forum in Blackburn, raised concerns about isolated elderly people who would find it difficult to access advice about the switchover.

He said: “A number of people including myself have had to retune a couple of times before they got all the channels.

“I am concerned about the isolated older people who aren’t part of any groups and who will be confused about the switchover.

“I am quite worried about these vulnerable people and I hope they will identify themselves and seek help.”

Analogue signals were switched off just after midnight on Wednesday in the final stage of digital TV switchover in the region.

Joe Smithies, Digital UK spokesman, confirmed that they had received thousands of calls from people having problems with re-tuning their TVs.

He said: “Signals don’t really respect borders and boundaries so we have had concerns from a small proportion of viewers in the Granada region who are getting Welsh TV.

“We are keen that people don’t spend money unnecessarily on re-tuning as we can talk them through it if they ring our advice line.”

Last month, six thousand homes in Darwen were hit with problems when household could only receive half of the digital TV channels available since the switchover.

Viewers in the central and western parts of the town were told they will have to buy Sky subscription or sign up for Freesat if they wanted to view the full range of commercial channels.

The problem only affects Freeview services and not Freesat, where the signal is received through a satellite dish.

For help retuning your Freeview box call 0845 650 5050.