TWO hundred members of staff at a Colchester office block have been evacuated after thieves caused major damage to a power cable.The British Telecom Bureau building in West Stockwell Street was evacuated at about 11am this morning after it was discovered that thieves had stolen part of the earth cable connecting it with a neighbouring office block.

TWO hundred members of staff at a Colchester office block have been evacuated after thieves caused major damage to a power cable.

The British Telecom Bureau building in West Stockwell Street was evacuated at about 11am this morning after it was discovered that thieves had stolen part of the earth cable connecting it with a neighbouring office block.

The damage caused to the £5,000 cable left the site unsafe for the employees, who were given the choice to work at an alternative site or go home.

It is expected that the site - home to Essex's main telephone exchange - will be back in action tomorrow while the repair work could cost £50,000.

A BT spokesman said: “For health and safety reasons we have had to take all our staff out of the building.

“The police have been informed and are investigating. Telephone services have not been affected.”