WIRRAL residents who use Freeview will need to return their television later this month.

In order to continue watching some programmes, Freeview customers will need to retune on October 23.

Some Freeview channels will be moving to new airwaves in order to allow the development of new mobile broadband services.

This follows a decision by the Government and all transmitters are being updated region by region as part of a major engineering programme being carried out between now and 2020.

The required changes will begin at the Winter Hill transmitter, which serves 2.6m homes around Merseyside and Cheshire, just after midnight.

Some Freeview channels will be off-air overnight until 6am, after this any viewers receiving their TV signal from Winter Hill can retune.

Satellite and cable TV services will not be affected.

Freeview will also be running an information campaign to prepare people for the change, including advertising and on-screen messages.

More changes will take place at Winter Hill early next year following the completion of engineering work in other areas.

Anyone who needs advice, or who finds they are still missing services after retuning can visit the Freeview website at www.freeview.co.uk/tvchanges or call the Freeview Advice Line free on 0808 100 0288.