underwater cable between Bermuda and the UK.

Among those believed to have been hit were travel agents.

"Some people may have experienced delays,'' said Cable & Wireless spokesman Mr. John Instone.

Mr. Instone said services were affected at 9.45 a.m. after a fault on the "eastern portion'' of the transatlantic fibre optic cable.

"Initially all traffic on the cable was affected to some degree. However, contingency plans for restoration of circuits were put into effect immediately and by 12.03 p.m. all international routes had been restored by cable or satellite.'' He added: "The exact cause of the problem is still under investigation. Cable & Wireless sincerely regrets any inconvenience to customers.''