Corrie viewers in power cut blow

Thousands of homes in the Black Country were plunged into darkness after three separate power cuts hit the region - as the 50th anniversary live episode of Coronation Street aired.

Around 3,000 homes in Lye were cut off at 7.50pm, just before the historic hour-long special started, due to a fault with a high-voltage underground cable.

Power was restored at 9.10pm, 10 minutes after the programme finished.

In Wolverhampton 873 homes were without electricity until 8.50pm following an earlier fault, also caused by problems with an underground cable, while more than 2,000 homes in Finchfield had been cut off at 3.20pm.

Meanwhile, 20 homes in Woodruff Way, Walsall were still without power today almost 24 hours after their supply was cut.

Residents said they were "disappointed" to miss Coronation Street, which pulled in 15 million viewers.

Julie Berrington, aged 38, and her two daughters, Demi, 15, and Courtney, 12, were settling down for the show when their home in Chapel Street, Lye, was plunged into darkness by the power cut.

"There had been all this big build up to the programme and we were really looking forward to it — so we were angry and disappointed to miss it," she said.

In Wolverhampton with power out for almost five hours residents had to wrap up. Central Networks today apologised.