People in Tiverton and Minehead have been left "utterly cut off" due to slow broadband.

Liberal Democrat MP for the area, Sarah Gilmour, has called on the government to improve broadband connectivity after a rural affairs debate in Parliament.

Data from the House of Commons Library shows that 11.2 per cent of people in Tiverton and Minehead only have a broadband connection speed of under 10mbps.

The average broadband speed in the UK is 151.3mbps, meaning 11.2 per cent in the local area are experiencing a connection speed 15 times below the average across the country.

According to Ofcom, a broadband of under 10mbps is below the threshold for ‘decent broadband’.

Nationally, the average percentage of lines receiving speeds lower than 10mbps is 3.6 per cent.

In the UK, Tiverton and Minehead has one of the highest percentages of lines receiving speeds lower than 10mbps.

Ms Gilmour has spoken out about improving broadband speed in Tiverton and Minehead or risk people in rural areas remaining cut off and isolated.

She said: "In today's economy, having a fast broadband connection is vital.

"In Tiverton and Minehead, far too many people feel utterly cut off from the outside world because of poor internet speeds.

"The previous Conservative government comprehensively failed to move at the pace required to end this connection postcode lottery that many are forced to suffer through.

"It is now down to the new government to step up and deliver where the Conservatives could not."