BUILDING work on a controversial mobile phone mast in Knightwick that began without planning permission was stopped in its tracks on Monday.

The parent company of communications giants T-Mobile had been refused planning approval but workmen still began digging trenches for a mast on Ankerdine Hill.

Formerly Mercury and One to One, T-Mobile began the work in the belief that approval granted in 1997 for a mast less than 50ft tall still applied.

However, subsequent amended plans were refused as a result of local objections over the visual impact of a mast in an area of stunning landscape, its location in a Site of Special Scientific Interest, worries over access and changes in planning law.

Malvern Hills District Council issued a stop notice and an enforcement notice on Monday afternoon, to stop the work while an investigation gets under way.

David Murray, MHDC head of development control, said: "We've taken advice from legal counsel and T-Mobile have done likewise."

Mr Murray said that if T-Mobile appealed against the enforcement notice, as expected, then the matter would go before the Environment Secretary.

T-Mobile spokesman Gordon Simmons said the demand for network coverage had increased, with 45 million people across the UK using mobile phones.

"We have a proven need to improve our coverage in this part of the world," he said. "We believe we have valid permission to proceed with this development at this site to cater for that demand.

"T-Mobile does, however, acknowledge receipt of the notices issued by MHDC and will now review its position in the light of that development."

Mr Simmons said that the firm planned to minimise the mast's visual impact with screening trees and was taking steps to protect wildlife during construction. He said that signal strength from masts was similar to that received in homes from broadcast radio and TV transmitters.

He said: "T-Mobile's base stations have always been, and will continue to be, built to the more rigorous international guidelines recognised by the World Health Organisation."

However, local resident Nigel Bruen said: "The blight of five years of fighting this mast and the stress and the anxiety on the people who are local to it is very real."

MP Sir Michael Spicer said: "At the very least, this enforcement notice will put off the building of the mast until there has been a public inquiry, at which residents can make their views known in public to the inspector."