MOBILE phone firm T-Mobile has backed down and waived an £8,000 bill run up by thieves on a mobile phone stolen from a holidaying West Devon couple.

Zyg and Rosemary Gregorek, who run fishing complex Anglers? Paradise at Halwill, told the Times last week of their shock after landing the huge bill on New Year?s Eve.

Following the extensive publicity given to their case, T-Mobile announced last week that it would waive the Gregorek?s bill because of the special circumstances.

In a statement, T-Mobile UK chief executive Brian McBride said: ?Given the size of the bill, we have decided to waive the charge.

?There are special circumstances in this case and we understand how they must have felt when they got the bill.

?But we have not changed our policy. It is the responsibility of customers to look after their phones as they would look after their credit cards.?

T-Mobile say the phone was cut off when the company became suspicious of the huge increase in calls, but as the company was reliant on a partner network overseas this information took some time to filter back to them.

Zyg and Rosemary were travelling to Mozambique when they believe the phone was stolen from a suitcase at Johannesburg airport.

They only realised it was missing when they were packing to return to Britain a week later.

Over the course of seven days and nights, the thieves made continual calls to countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia, Qatar and Senegal.

Rosemary said: ?It is fantastic news. I have been a nervous wreck for a month, it is such a relief it is over.

?I hope it has given all the mobile phone companies a bit of a shake-up.

?They should have a credit limit on phones above which people are cut off. From now on I shall use a pay-as-you-go phone.?

Rosemary added: ?My bill is never normally more than £15 a month, so they should have realised and cut it off before the bill get so big in the first place.?

Zyg said he was delighted T-Mobile had rescinded the bill, but added: ?I still think the phone companies are naughty because they terrorise the innocent and give carte blanche to the criminals.

?But to be fair to T-Mobile, it?s not just them, all the mobile phone companies seem to be involved in a conspiracy against the individual.?