When I lifted the receiver of my landline I got the dialling tone. That was usual. What was not so usual is what happened next. 

I dialled the number of the mobile of the lady in Cinderford I wished to talk to,  Aoifa, but got no ring tone, no engaged tone, no voice mail, and no Aoifa. 

Instead, I heard another lady who appeared to be some considerable distance away.  Her voice was far too faint to hear what she  was already talking about, but eventually Aoifa answered her.

I could not hear what  Aoifa said either, because at that moment my mantlepiece clock boomed out 3 o'clock.

Having somebody else on the line was a common occurrence in days gone by when you had to share the line with a neighbour, or when you got a crossed wire, but none of that involved mobiles. 

Was the other lady using a landline and mine got crossed with hers?  Too far away, judging from her almost inaudible voice, I would have thought.  Crossed wire with Aoifa's landline?  Impossible. I called her mobile.

So how can you get a crossed wire on a landline with somebody who is already speaking on a mobile?

One thing is sure. Be careful what you say. Speech on any kind of telephone is not secure.

– Anthony Reeve, Littledean.