Distribution cable knocked down by tree... What to do

A nearby copper Distribution cable of the 'shotgun' self straining type has had a tree fall on it. It is still connected on both ends and one of the customers I think is on the DP still has service. The strain wire seems to be working, as otherwise I can guarantee it'd be in two by now.
Some pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/sets/7215... Location is SU991431 or GU8 4AR

As it still seems to be working, who/where do I report it? Also, would it be wise to expect it to not be fixed anytime soon?

From Openreach.co.uk

Damage:If you see broken or missing manhole cover, telephone poles that have been blown down by gales, street cabinets that have been affected by flooding or obviously vandalised, please dial 0800 023 2023 and select Option 1. (This number is reserved for calls about our network. The operators won�t be able to help with other issues.)

I would say a fallen tree fits into the category.

I have reported a problem to Openreach a couple of years ago, and they did get back to me by phone a couple of hours later. It wasn't quite as drastic as that, but I'm sure they are used to dealing with issues involving falling trees and have all the appropriate contacts.

Of course, if the tree belongs to somebody identifiable, then I'm not sure who bears the cost of sorting it out.

In reply to a post by TheEulerID:

I have reported a problem to Openreach a couple of years ago, and they did get back to me by phone a couple of hours later. It wasn't quite as drastic as that, but I'm sure they are used to dealing with issues involving falling trees and have all the appropriate contacts.

Of course, if the tree belongs to somebody identifiable, then I'm not sure who bears the cost of sorting it out.

BT will not worry about the cost initially - they will go and sort it out as soon as they are able. they will then, if appropriate, invoice the responsible party or property owner for all costs involved.

Openreach said that I need to get the council to remove the trees as they do not have the ability to. It potentially counts as private land, so not sure why the council would be able to ehlp?

Tell Openreach you don't give a damn if they don't. Their problem, not yours. They can contact the council. Or whatever landowner that gave them permission to route the cable there.

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 31-Jan-15 11:47:14)

BT will not worry about the cost initially - they will go and sort it out as soon as they are able.

That's not my experience! Each time I have a tree on the phone line it's taken up to 3 months for them to act

They perform ownership searches first to try to get the land owner to foot the bill.
As my lane is unadopted with no recorded owner this always means nothing happens for ages until they eventually sort it out...

The OPs line/tree situation looks pretty serious so you would hope they would do something sooner rather than later.

UK Power Networks on the other hand are great - they send a surveyor within the hour and remove the tree within 3 hours in the same part of the road.

Power firms will of course have to act quickly their wires can kill! No such urgency with phone lines.

With unadopted private lanes there is established case law to make it quite clear on ownership......

Where a lane, not being a public carriageway, of unknown ownership runs between two parcels of land then unless there is definitive evidence that the land of the lane belongs to one or other of the two owners on either side, or that there is definitive evidence that the land of the lane belongs to a third party......then it is determined that each of the two parcels of land on either side own up to the centre of the lane for the length of their frontage where it borders the lane.

Edited by deleted (Sun 01-Feb-15 11:32:12)