A decoder for decoding a received set of blocks each including a plurality of data symbols and a plurality of parity symbols, wherein the received set of blocks is a subset of a complete set of blocks, the complete set of blocks including at least one erased block not included in the received set of blocks, the decoder including: a storage for a coding matrix which is the kronecker product of a totally non-singular matrix with an antidiagonal matrix; and a processor operable to determine data symbols of the at least one erased block using the encoding matrix.