THIEVES cut off a Valleys community radio station mid-broadcast after they stole the copper wire from its aerial.

Co-founder of BRFM, Sue Ball, 55, said she was "absolutely fuming" that the radio station, run by 42 volunteers, was silenced by criminals hoping to cash in on the valuable wire.

Fundraisers only recently raised £3,000 to move the aerial to a new location in Brynmawr in order to improve the reception.

BRFM was broadcasting on Saturday morning when the theft happened and volunteer presenter Steve Bower, 55, who was working at the time, heard the radio go off just after 9am.

After checks were made of all the studio equipment, the next port of call was the aerial, which is when the theft was discovered.

Mr Bower arrived at the aerial around 30 minutes after the signal went and found thieves had cut around 40 metres of the wire from the telegraph pole which the aerial is fixed to.

Although the radio station is insured, they do not know how long they will be off air as they get cost estimates and find someone to carry out the work. It is not known how much the stolen wire is worth.

BRFM is still broadcasting online while the repairs are made.

Mrs Ball said: "I can't believe it, I'm so angry and feel so sorry for all the other volunteers. It was done in broad daylight."

Mr Bower added: "I couldn't believe it when I got there, it's a terrible shame."

BRFM first broadcast in 2004 after Mrs Ball and husband Robert, 59, helped set it up. Its website gets 250,000 hits a month.