VILLAGERS in Droitwich Spa are celebrating after planning permission for a mobile phone mast was disconnected.

Officers at Wychavon District Council were expected to agree to retrospective planning permission for the Vodafone mast on land just off Copcut Lane, in Salwarpe.

However, on January 13, they did a U-turn and ordered Vodafone to remove their equipment from the land. Planning chiefs will now serve an enforcement order to Vodafone, who originally installed their mast without permission.

Andrew Christian-Brookes, district councillor for the Lovett ward, said: "We were surprised when officers refused planning permission as they had earmarked it for approval.

"However, we are not out of the woods yet. I have spoken to the planning officer involved, Peter Bateman and he believes Vodafone may try and string it out for a year while they look for another site for the equipment. I really hope they don't though," he added.

Professor David London, who lives just 100 yards from the mast, said: "This phone mast was put up without consultation and has been put up in a most insensitive place. Had consultation taken place we could have advised on a much more sensitive site which locals would not have objected to."

He said 12 letters of objection were sent to the district council, which included suggestions for where the mast would be better placed.