An elderly dementia sufferer’s fight with a major phone company

A North Down man has been in a battle with TalkTalk after his elderly mother, who has Dementia, racked up hundreds of pounds in calls to directory enquiries.

The woman, who lives alone in Belfast, had been repeatedly using the 118500 service to call her family, her doctor or the hospital.

Initially, TalkTalk suggested that the family "remove the phone socket" from the elderly woman's home, and offered £30 as a settlement - despite bills totalling of hundreds of pounds.

They said they didn't have the capability to block calls to the premium rate number without giving the customer a broadband package - which they had offered a 12 month discount on.