VILLAGERS turned out in force to protest at plans to erect a mobile phone mast in Great Broughton, but no answers were offered by the phone company.

More than 100 people attended Great and Little Broughton Parish Council on Tuesday to discuss plans from phone company Orange to install a 20m mast, three antennae, two dishes and six equipment cabinets at Grange Farm.

Chairman Margaret Skilbeck said a planning consultant from Orange was due to attend the meeting, but had cancelled on Monday, saying that it was Orange policy not to attend public meetings.

Coun Skilbeck said: "This was greeted with anger and derision by the residents, who considered that Orange was showing a complete lack of consideration for local people."

Lydia Spiller from Hambleton District Council planning department outlined the proposal and explained the policies which would be applied to help decide the application.

Residents heard that the parish council had asked for the application to be refused, and that the council had received 20 individual letters of objection.

People were particularly concerned about visual impact of the mast, which they said would seen by people driving into the village, and from the surrounding open countryside.

They feared the mast could damage the tourist appeal of the village, which is a popular rest stop for walkers along the Cleveland Way and coast to coast footpaths. Kirkby Parish Council reported that it had not been consulted, although a quarter of its residents would be directly affected.

Residents heard that the district council would ask Orange to justify the location and need for the mast, and clarify construction access issues.

A spokesman for Orange confirmed it was company policy not to attend public meetings. He said: "From past experience, we have found that such meetings aren't constructive. We have offered to meet parish council representatives and take issues raised at the meeting into account.

"We think this is quite a good site because it is some distance from the nearest houses. It would be a thin, discreet mast, which would be hidden behind trees."

The application is due to be considered by the district development committee on July 28