North Cornwall's MP, Dan Rogerson, met last week with the 'No Connection @ Bolventor' group at the Jamaica Inn.

The moorland village has been branded a 'notspot' by residents who have no broadband coverage at all, leaving them to wait hours while photographs and files are transferred to their computers over old-style 'dial-up' modems.

Mr Rogerson has been leading the charge for 100 per cent broadband coverage in Cornwall and is urging residents who are not covered to let him know direct, so he can raise it with the companies bidding to provide 'next generation' broadband services to Cornwall.

Commenting after his meeting with the group of local residents at Jamaica Inn, he said: "In 2009, even the most remote moorland areas should be able to get connected like everyone else. Indeed, it's the most rural areas that are most in need of access to the web, whether for shopping, for research or just for keeping in touch.

"For most of us the days of listening to a modem hiss and crackle as it tries to connect with the internet are over, but in some parts of Cornwall there are patches where people still wait hours to do what the rest of us can finish in ­seconds.

"Some people even have to drive to Bodmin to use a mobile broadband connection with their laptops, and then drive home again to look at what they've downloaded. One resident I met has invested in satellite broadband, but it is prohibitively expensive. It's quite wrong that any one should have to go to these lengths.

"There maybe light at the end of the tunnel though since new European funding is likely to be directed at resolving this problem.

"However, we first need to know where the 'notspots' are. If you are unable to get a broadband connection, please contact my office so I can raise it directly with the internet service providers who are bidding to cover Cornwall in future.

"This time no home or business can be left behind."

'No Connection @ Bolventor' group chairman, Nigel Payne, added: "We were extremely grateful to Mr Rogerson for joining our meeting. Hopefully this is the first step towards achieving our goal."

Mr Rogerson can be contacted at 4 Tower Street, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 8BQ or telephone 01566 777123 or email contact@danroger­son.org