VILLAGERS in Cheshire feel like tearing up their phone books after being sent the Shropshire directory.

People living in the SY14 7HA post-code area lie mainly in Shropshire but there are also a minority of customers in places like Tilston, Shocklach and parts of Malpas, based in Cheshire. These areas get sent the Shropshire book because BT delivers along post-code lines. BT does duplicate these Cheshire phone numbers in the Chester book but it has to be ordered by ringing 0800 833400.

Tilston Parish Council, which has raised the issue with BT, has been sent one free copy of the Chester book 'as a gesture of goodwill'.

Tilston clerk Val Roberts said more than 50 people had complained about the change out of 200 households.

She said: 'Most residents want to be in the Chester book. A lot use

Farndon doctors in the Chester book. Our children go to Cheshire schools,wepay counciltaxtoCheshire County Council, we are Cestrians when push comes to shove.'

Mrs Roberts believes the problem has arisen because the Yellow Pages is now included in the phone book.

Shocklach parish clerk Alison Macchi said more than 30 residents had complained about the issue out of about 200 households.

She said: 'We seem to be getting confusing information from BT which doesn't really help.'

The issue also came up at Malpas Parish Council's latest monthly meeting.

Cllr Charles Higgie said: 'Perhaps we can write to BT to ask for SY14 7 and 8 to remain in the Chester book.'

Council chairman, Cllr Ann Wright, said she had been informed that BT had made the change based on market research but no one 'knew anything about this alleged survey'.

Cllr Linda Egan said all of Malpas shouldbeincluded intheChesterbook given the village was only 12 miles from Chester.

Clerk Ruth Jacks said she had spoken to a 'helpful lady' at BT who told her it was only the SY14 7 part of Malpas that would be affected.

BT spokeswoman Emma Tennant was puzzled the issue had arisen now because the new books had gone out about six months ago.

She said: 'We will review the situation and if people prefer to be in the other book we can look at it with a view to making that change next time round.

'We will review it based on what our customers think.'

She said Malpas had previously been split over two books which it was felt 'wasn't really appropriate'.

'So we made the decision to move everybody on the last cycle into the Shrewsbury book because the majority of the homes on that particular exchange came under Shrewsbury post code, the SY post code, not the Chester one,' she added. david.holmes@cheshirenews.co.uk