Heaven is a Mobile Phone

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Having had no contact with the world outside for well over a week, some of the group are beginning to feel the strain. Jason jokes: 'I miss my kitchen and my wife, in that order.'

So as a treat, eco-expert Rob turns up with three large, suspiciously heavy, suitcases which he deposits in the camp. Rob explains that there are 1000 phones in the cases, and that number represents how many we discard in just 30 minutes in the UK. We buy 18 million new handsets a year, and just a small percentage of those get sent for re-use or recycling, even though many charities run great schemes.

Most of the rest end up lying around or, worse, thrown in the bin (the heavy metals in some mobile phone batteries are highly toxic and could do a lot of damage if not disposed of properly). As Rob points out, most of us treat these sophisticated pieces of equipment like fashion items.

Time to call home

To the group's delight, Rob announces that if they can find a working handset with a matching battery they can each make a phone call home. As they begin sorting through the mound of old phones, they discuss how reliant they are on them in the outside world. Aaron says that he is a mobile phone nut and Christine explains how she really doesn't use hers at all. Sasha normally spends £130 a month on her mobile phone, and is convinced her service provider will have sent out a search party for her!

Working mobile discovered, the group get to speak to their loved ones for the first time in 10 days. Calls are short and sweet in case the battery runs out before the next person gets their go.

Jarvis tells his other half: 'Oh my God. We're living on a dump. It's an absolute mess here but we're just getting on with it.' Sasha explains the basic living conditions to her boyfriend: 'Honestly, you'll be so proud of me. We have to shit in a bucket.' And Jermaine tells his girlfriend: 'The thing is that I'm actually getting used to being here, which is nuts.'

For father-to-be Jarvis in particular the phone call has stirred up emotions. With a big grin on his face he explains: 'I'm chuffed. She sounds like she's having a fun, and the baby's fine. I might go and skip around the dump now.' And so he does, grinning madly the whole time.