AN investigation has been launched after an elderly couple claimed their phone line was 'hijacked' by a phone company.

Pensioners Jean and John Hartt said it 'frightened the life out of them' when their line was cut off and a message from Talk Talk left on it demanding £120 to reinstall it.

The couple were barred from making or receiving calls until they paid the new installation fee.

Mr Hartt, 73, who suffers from epilepsy, relies on the landline to operate a panic button that contacts the emergency services should he have a fit or a fall.

Mrs Hartt, 75, said the couple, from Newton Heath, who are both disabled, have never missed a bill payment and were stressed and panicked when they woke to find their line had been cut off.

They said they had never had any dealings with Talk Talk but believe the company `poached' their line after they set up a new calls package with its sister firm AOL.

The package involved them keeping their line rental with BT.

Talk Talk has now launched an investigation following a call from the M.E.N.

Mrs Hartt said: "It frightened the life out of me when it happened - we've never owed any money and I was terrified John would have a fall and we wouldn't be able to get help.

"I spent hours on a mobile phone trying to find out what had happened, which was very expensive.

"They refused to put us through to the manager until the Manchester Evening News had spoken to them then we had a phone call later that day.

"They acknowledged we hadn't given permission for them to take over the line and the suggestion was it could have been a mix up with a customer who owed money for their phone bill.

"I'm very concerned that this has happened to other vulnerable people like us. I was crying. It was very frightening for us."

A spokesman for Talk Talk said: "We have spoken to the customer and removed all bars so the customer has an active line whilst the investigation is taking place."