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Internet service provider FACTCO, has worked closely with the iNorthumberland team at Northumberland County Council to upgrade homes and businesses.

Retired couple David and Mrs Jayne Woodthorpe were among the first to futureproof their property with a FACTCO connection.

David said: “Full fibre guarantees us good speeds, we didn’t have any worries making the switch. For us, it was a no-brainer decision.”

Barry Chalk, FACTCO community champion, Craig Morley, FACTCO Community Sales Manager, one of Rothbury’s first connected customers, David Woodthorpe, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Corporate Services Councillor Richard Wearmouth.

The couple, in their 70s, have been building and renovating their home in Rothbury.

For the Woodthorpe’s, ensuring their brand-new home was installed with full fibre was an obvious choice.

“The reason for opting for full fibre was the longevity it offers,” said David. “I’ve been keeping my eye on what’s been happening in telecoms and, with the way fibre is being rolled out, we knew we’d need full fibre at some stage. I didn’t have any worries about making the switch.”

Since their full fibre installation, the pair have been enjoying upload and download speeds in excess of 300 Mbps.

“Considering the distance from our house to the road, the installation was remarkably quick,” added David. “The team did a marvellous job in making the switch over easy.’’

Cllr Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader of Northumberland County Council, said: "Faster and more reliable broadband can unlock a whole host of benefits for both residents and businesses and I'm so pleased to see this being rolled out in Rothbury.

"I would urge anyone in the area who has this available to get in touch with their supplier and take full advantage of the most up-to-date broadband.”

FACTCO community sales manager, Craig Morley, said: “I have been overwhelmed with assistance from the people of Rothbury. So many have helped us through this challenging project, in particular Barry Chalk and Minister Ed Butlin from Rothbury United Reformed Church.

“This network would not have been possible without the hard work of our build partners, RuralFibre4U, and the ongoing support of iNorthumberland’s fantastic team."

The roll out has been supported with funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

To find out more call 0333 305 7560.

Full fibre broadband roll out reaches Rothbury