RESIDENTS have vowed to fight a decision to allow a mobile phone mast and telecommunications radio station near two schools.

Neighbours say they were not consulted properly and hundreds of petitioners' views were not taken into account.

Planners at Stockton Borough Council recently approved the plans from mobile phone company O2 to build the mast at Greens Lane in the Fairfield area of Stockton.

The plans were given the go-ahead by council officers under delegated powers after councillors had given prior approval once the officers had obtained further information.

The 15m phone mast and station will be close to both Hartburn Primary School and Ian Ramsey CE Secondary School.

Another mast was recently refused near Hartburn School.

Objectors said there were health risks caused by radiation and cited the Government's Stewart Report about the possible dangers of phone masts. The protestors also say the mast and station will be unsightly, lead to a reduction in property values, could easily be sited in areas away from where people live, will obstruct the pavement and would spoil a public space. A total of 153 letters of objection were received by the council but protestors say a petition of about 150 neighbours was not taken into consideration. The governors of Ian Ramsey School and Councillor Joan Wade also objected to the decision.

However, the plan was eventually approved after council officers said the mast would be designed to have the least visual impact; that the planning committee is not allowed to consider health and safety legislation enforced by the Health and Safety Executive; and the transport department had no objections as regards pedestrian safety.

But residents have promised to fight on. They have already written to Dari Taylor, MP for Stockton South and are considering appealing to the Local Government Ombudsman.

David Binks, of Auckland Way, said there were at least another 12 phone masts planned for the borough.

He said: "The council appear to be more interested in ground rent than the health of residents. Should our appeals to Ms Taylor fail, the only available option would be to appeal, which would be more expensive to the council than the loss of ground rent."

Ms Taylor could not be contacted for comment yesterday.