AN EXPANDING Dorset company which is taking full-fibre broadband to hard-to-reach areas has celebrated connecting its 5,000th customer.

Wessex Internet is recruiting across Dorset, as well as south Somerset, to support a major rollout of its high-speed broadband to rural homes and businesses.

The 5,000th customer for the Blandford-based business was David Lester-Card, who lives in the Wiltshire village of Tytherington.

Mr Lester-Card, a former operations director, was presented with a bottle of champagne and was told his internet would be free for life.

Wessex Internet’s chief executive, Hector Gibson Fleming, said: “I would like to congratulate David for sharing this momentous occasion with us.

“This is a significant milestone not only for Wessex Internet, but also to all our current and future customers in hard-to-reach areas. More importantly for every single one of our 140 employees whose enthusiasm, professionalism and can-do attitude have made this achievement possible.

“I am proud to lead such a fantastic team who’ve been with us on our journey so far, and in the future as we continue to grow.”

The whole company gathered for a free photograph to mark the occasion. Each of the 140 employees was presented with a limited edition green water bottle in the colour of the Wessex Internet brand.

Mr Lester-Card was signed up to Wessex Internet by field sales manager Zac Barrett and connected by Norton Maby of the installation team.

Mr Lester-Card, 66, whose wife Caroline is an NHS cardiologist, said: “We have struggled with poor internet for some time – but I never believed that we would ever get an ultrafast full fibre connection to our home. We don’t even have a mains water supply.

“It all happened in a short amount of time – from when we first had a leaflet from Wessex Internet, followed by Zac knocking on the door to the installation into my house. It wasn’t until I saw the outdoor team working in the fields near to my property that I grasped hold of the fact that it was a reality.”

Wessex Internet recently secured the contract to provide full-fibre broadband to 35 sites across Dorset, including 22 schools, as part of the government’s £5billion Project Gigabet scheme.

As well as the primary and secondary schools, sites in Dorset selected for the scheme include Durlston Country Park, two libraries, a care home and a children’s centre.

Last year, it announced that it would create more than 100 jobs in the coming 12 months as it accelerated its full-fibre rollout, taking in market towns as well as homes and businesses in rural areas.