HOSPITAL patients are demanding refunds for their bedside television service after their reception was hit by the weather.

Patients at Dorset County Hospital lost the BBC and ITV channels when storms hit and have been calling for a refund for the money they had spent on the Hospedia bedside service.

Christopher Farley, 67, has been in hospital for two weeks after suffering heart problems and bought credits for his television to watch the Turkish Grand Prix.

But he said he was left disappointed when the storm hit the signal on Friday evening.

He said: “We suddenly lost all the BBC and ITV channels and radio channels.

“But we were still getting charged.

“We were all annoyed because we all bought credit to watch the motor racing but saw nothing.

“We lost the phone as well.”

Hospedia operates at 394 bedsides at Dorset County Hospital Under the Hospedia system patients use machines to buy cards with credit on them so that they can be entered into their bedside televisions.

Mr Farley said no notice was put up on the card machines so by the time patients tried to turn on their televisions it was too late as they had spent their money.

He said: “People were putting £20 in and that’s a lot of money.

“All of those people have lost their money.

“You put your card in at your bedside and it strips money off the card straight away.”

Mr Farley said he lost his television reception on Friday evening and it came back on Sunday evening. Another patient, who asked not to be named, said they were told they would not get their money back as the weather had been ‘an act of God’.

But when contacted by the Echo a spokesman from the company denied that was the case and said refunds are being issued.

A spokesman said: “Over the weekend we were alerted to a problem with the bedside entertainment systems at Dorset County Hospital as a result of a lightning strike.

“As soon as our on-site staff were made aware of the problem we worked to restore the service as soon as possible.

“Any patients whose televisions were affected by the lightning strike can contact the customer care centre on 0845 414 1234 for a refund or additional credit if they are still in hospital.”