REMOVE MAST - OR WE'LL CHOP IT DOWN

Saturday, March 25, 2006

REMOVE MAST - OR WE'LL CHOP IT DOWN

(www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk)

10:30 - 25 March 2006

Villagers in Beckford took to the streets armed with chainsaws and

axes after a telegraph pole appeared on their village green.

Bt didn't need planning permission to put the 23ft pole slap bang in

the middle of the green. But it didn't bank on the fury of the

residents. The pole appeared on Tuesday, ruining views of the ninth

century church and dwarfing an oak planted in 1990 to mark the Queen

Mother's 90th birthday.

Villagers started a petition and kicked up such a fuss that by

Thursday, BT caved in and removed the mast.

Sally Stringer, who runs Beckford Stores, said residents would be

keeping a close eye on the situation.

She said workmen told her the pole had been put in the wrong place and

that it would have to go elsewhere.

"We got 36 names on a petition in half a day before they came and took

the pole away," she said.

"I understand cables have to be replaced but they can put them

underground. This area is so special.

"It's a beautiful village green. What they did was a legalised form of

vandalism. The village was spitting about it.

"It spoiled an outstanding view of the church. It was totally out of order."

BT did not need planning permission for the pole because the village

green is common land.

County councillor Adrian Hardman (Con, Bredon) said: "It's one of the

prettiest views around Bredon Hill.

"The tree was completely dwarfed by the giant pole. It was quite

extraordinary."

BT spokeswoman Anna Steven said: "The installation of a new pole was

necessary to raise overhead cable.

"BT has statutory powers to site equipment on public land but we

always consider a range of factors such as best possible position in

terms of the service to be provided, visual amenity and local

circumstances.

"On occasions the balance between cost effectiveness, aesthetics and

safety can be difficult to achieve.

"In this case, given local objections, the pole has been removed in

the interim while we seek an alternative solution."

"It spoiled an outstanding view of the church. It was totally out of order." said Sally Stringer

John Ryan and his wife are prepared to go to jail rather than allow Vodafone

on to their property to repair a broken mast The same paper says a Tipperary

farmer and his wife who claimed they suffered ill-health due to radio

frequency radiation from a mobile phone mast on their lands say they are

prepared to go to jail rather than allow Vodafone on to their property to

repair the broken mast. John Ryan, from Golden, claims symptoms he and his

wife suffered due to the operation of the mast have ceased since the mast

stopped working in November last year.

Source : www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk