Norfolk farmers have called for urgent improvements to poor rural mobile and internet connectivity which they say is "hindering" vital food production businesses.

A survey by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has revealed that more than three quarters (76pc) of farmers do not have reliable mobile signal across "some or many locations on their farm".

Although union members reported an increase in 5G services, 6pc still have no access to 4G or 5G on their smartphones.

The survey shows some progress has been made with broadband speeds, with 58pc of respondents now finding them "adequate for their business needs" - up 10 percentage points from last year.

But the NFU says greater coverage is needed to help rural businesses carry out vital everyday operations such as VAT returns and communications with customers and regulators, as well as taking advantage of new agri-tech innovations such as robotic milking or precision farming.

NFU Norfolk chairman Tim Papworth, who farms at Felmingham, near North Walsham, said: “Many parts of Norfolk have had poor or non-existent mobile phone connections for years.

“In some areas people are unable to do basic tasks like answer calls and read emails.

“This is continuing to be a real hinderance for many farmers and other businesses in rural Norfolk.

“Having reliable mobile and broadband connectivity is essential to enable these businesses and the rural economy to thrive.

“This is also crucial in helping farmers to deliver food security, which has to be a top priority of the new government.”

Mr Papworth, who is also a vocal campaigner for better health and safety on farms, said a reliable mobile signal is particularly vital for farmers working alone in remote areas.

“Having poor mobile connection continues to be a major health and safety risk, in terms of not being able to call for help in an emergency," he said.

“The lack of connection in rural areas also impacts mental health by adding to the sense of isolation and loneliness that people can feel, as well as the stress caused by it.”

NFU vice president Rachel Hallos said despite recent improvements to rural connectivity, more needs to be done.

"We welcome the new government’s pledge to deliver gigabit broadband and 5G by 2030," she said.

"However, we need detailed plans and a timeline on how this will be delivered, particularly in rural areas. 2030 is still six years away and waiting that long for better connectivity is a huge burden for rural businesses."