FREEVIEW viewers may have to retune their televisions later this month as part of a major engineering programme.

Some Freeview channels are being moved to new airwaves to allow for future development of new mobile broadband services. This means viewers covered by the Winter Hill transmitter - which includes those in Greater Manchester and Lancashire - may lose six hours of TV.

A Freeview spokesman said changes to the transmitter will begin at midnight on Wednesday, October 23 and channels will be off-air until 6am.

He said: "After this, any viewers receiving their TV signal from the main Winter Hill transmitter who find they are missing channels can re-tune."

"Services from smaller local relays may be subject to disruption until late afternoon.

"Satellite and cable TV are not affected."

Further required changes will take place at the Winter Hill transmitter in early 2020.

Some televisions may retune automatically and some older aerials may have to be replaced.

Anyone who needs advice, or who finds they are still missing services after re-tuning, can visit www.freeview.co.uk/tvchanges.