Sixteen communities in Hampshire, Dorset and Somerset were connected to ultrafast broadband from April to June.

The villages and rural communities now enjoying the high-speed connection, courtesy of Wessex Internet, include Child Okeford, Gussage St Michael and Hazelbury Bryan in Dorset, Dimmer and Blackworthy, Lovington and Lytes Cary in Somerset, and Damerham in Hampshire.

Other locations include Holwell, Mappowder and Pleck Hil, Marnhull, Stourton Caundle and Tadnoll in Dorset, and Podimore, Somerton and Yeovilton in Somerset.

During this period, the Dorset-based rural ISP has grown to employ more than 300 staff and was honoured as the Best Rural Enterprise in the UK at the Countryside Alliance Awards.

Gavin Davies, chief operations officer at Wessex Internet, said: "Our network build has continued apace, as we bring reliable, ultrafast broadband to even more rural communities.

"We've reached an important milestone in now employing 300 staff to help reach homes and businesses in the countryside as efficiently as possible, but we're not stopping here.

"We will be continuing to grow our teams over the next few months, including at our new base in Codford, as we fulfil our plans to deliver full fibre internet to rural areas across Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire."