Phone went dead earlier. Unobtainable when dialled, nothing lifting receiver. Called VM, who said line was "blocked" and they had been unable to fix it from their end so engineer needed.
Rechecked all phones and found bedroom handset *ever* so slightly askew ... replaced and all worked. Seemed it had been able to trip the line, but not connect the earpiece, so we did hear the squealer.
Visit cancelled; red faces all round.