BBC Radio 4 listeners were left confused this morning after the usually reliable Shipping Forecast failed to be broadcast at its usual time of 5.20am.
 
Due to a technical error, listeners ended up missing the Shipping Forecast as well as the start of News Briefing, instead hearing the BBC’s World Service.
 
A BBC Radio 4 presenter apologised for the mistake, saying: “You’re listening to BBC Radio 4. Our apologies. It’s 5.40am and we’ve been broadcasting happily News Briefing. Unfortunately due to a technical error, you’ve not been hearing us, so you have been hearing the BBC World Service.
 
“We’re sorry about that. We’re looking into it and we’ll try and broadcast the shipping forecast for long-wave listeners during the course of the Today programme.”
 
The four-time daily broadcast, produced by the Met Office, reports and forecasts sea conditions around the coasts of Britain.
 
Listeners took to Twitter to express their confusion, Jordan Rowland said: “@BBCRadio4 No shipping forecast? If UK submarines don’t get shipping forecast, don’t they launch a nuclear attack?”
 
While another tweeted: “The world service didn’t hand over to radio 4 so the shipping forecast didn’t come on so I almost didn’t leave the house.”

Related articles

• BBC to assess use of Shipping Forecast
• Get a six-day wind forecast with our weather tool