GAME of Thrones fans in Scotland’s worst areas for broadband coverage face a wait of 20 hours or more to download a single episode of the upcoming eighth and final season of the series, it has been claimed.

However, it could be worse as consumer speed tests, collected by price comparison and switching service uSwitch.com, found some fans in the slowest parts of the UK as a whole would have time to watch all 67 episodes of the series before one episode had downloaded.

Season eight will be shown on Now TV from April 15.

uSwitch’s research found that at remote Ha of Gills in Caithness, west of John o’ Groats, it would take Thronies 21 hours 44 minutes and 28 seconds to download a single episode of season eight – the longest time in Scotland. Next was Halkburn Road in Galashiels (20:28.53), followed by Brankum Tough, Alford, Aberdeenshire (15:04.40); Ladywell Cottages, Kirkbean, Dumfries and Galloway (10:27.55); and Whitebridge on Loch Ness (10:13.47).

The slowest speed in the UK was found outside Cheltenham (66:44:3).

Dani Warner of uSwitch.com said: “Any Game of Thrones fans struggling on sluggish speeds should take the power into their own hands and look at a coverage map to see the services available at their address.

“Because of new rules which came in on March 1, any reported speed issues that are not resolved by within 30 days mean you can leave your existing contract free of charge.”