PEOPLE living in the West End of Darlington are furious over suggestions that a huge telecommunications mast could be sited near their homes.

Mobile phone company 02 has approached the borough council with the proposal for the 15-metre high mast to be installed opposite Mowden shopping parade.

No planning application has been submitted, but the company is trying to gauge local opinion about the suggestion.

If an application is lodged with the council, it will seek permission for the mast to be located near the bus stop, in Fulthorpe Avenue.

But the potential development has been with greeted with outrage by residents and businesses on the estate.

Local councillor Bill Stenson said angry homeowners had made their feelings known to him at a recent ward surgery.

"It is right in front of the shops and the people round here are up in arms about it.

"I don't want it there either. I really do think they could have found a much better place," he said.

"People are not happy about it - it's nearly 50ft high. What I would suggest is that they pick somewhere on open land, out of the way of everybody."

Coun Stenson said he would be speaking out against the application if it came up at a future planning committee meeting.

The committee rejected a phone mast proposal for Coniscliffe Road, from Orange, last November.

Councillors said they were fearful of the impact of the proposed 11.5-metre mast on the health of children, particularly those at nearby schools.

Coun Stenson said: "I think the same should apply in this case, I just don't know why they want to site it near a shopping area. The radiation is a worry."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We have been approached by a company acting on behalf of O2.

"It's at the pre-application stage, so we have to stress that nothing has been formally sent in yet.

"They are just trying to find out what opinion about this would be."