WORKERS in a remote dale got a high speed global link this week to attract businesses and create jobs.

The Weardale village of Eastgate, earmarked by regeneration agencies for a renewable energy development, is among 12 North-East telephone exchanges upgraded to broadband on Monday. Frosterley, Tow Law and Wearhead, together with Barningham, in Teesdale, were also connected.

Regeneration agency One NorthEast, which has led a £10m regional broadband programme, and telephone company BT now claim that only London has better coverage in the UK with more than 15,000 homes and businesses served from more than 100 telephone exchanges from the Scottish borders to the Tees Valley.

One NorthEast chairman Margaret Fay said: "Bringing broadband provision to rural areas such as Eastgate was a key element of our project with BT."