A COMMUNITY in a 900-year-old village today celebrates the arrival of 21st Century technology - broadband communications.

According to the Domesday Book, Rackenford, in Devon, had a population of 29 families in 1086 - 12 smallholders, six villagers and 11 slaves.

Today, the community, near Tiverton - with an electoral roll of just 300 people - becomes the final BT exchange in the south to go live with broadband.

Its tiny telephone exchange in nearby fields becomes the 667th and final BT exchange in region to deliver the service - which now serves about 2.4 million households and businesses across the South West.

Rackenford is one of 20 communities in South West England to benefit from a é1.3 million investment from the South West of England Regional Development Agency, which made the provision of broadband in those places economically possible.

Demand

Lizzie Beesley, BT regional director for South West England, said: "Demand for broadband is growing strongly. More than 751,000 South West customers, representing almost 31 per cent of the total number of homes and businesses in the region, are now using ADSL broadband.

John Horne, project director for the Broadband4Devon public and private sector partnership, of which both the South West RDA and BT are members, said that broadband technology had created 1,000 new jobs in Devon.

Among those to benefit from the arrival of broadband in Rackenford is the 12th Century Stag Inn.

Landlord Mark O'Donnell said: "The internet is already playing a vital role in promoting our business. Since the beginning of the year, our website at www.thestaginn.com has had 11,000 hits.

"We are getting inquiries from as far afield as the United States," he said.