COUNCILLORS yesterday turned down a proposed mobile phone tower near Guisborough, which archaeologists feared could endanger a nearby Bronze Age monument.

Redcar and Cleveland Council planning committee had been recommended by council officers to give permission for the mast to be built at Airy Hill Farm, Boosbeck, near Guisborough, just 40m from a burial ground dating back to about 1,800BC, which has national protection.

But Robin Daniels, from Tees Archaeology, said: "We want to ensure that this scheduled monument survives and we are concerned that if planning permission is granted for this mobile mast that further masts may also be built near it in the future.

"We are happy for this mast to be built 40m away from the site but we are worried any future masts may creep closer to the site."

The site is protected under national legislation by the Ancient Monument and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and express permission would have to be sought from the Secretary of State for any building which was less than 40m away from the site.

Mr Daniels said: "This burial mound has not been excavated but the pattern you see is that mounds such as these have the cremation urn of an important person from the local area at the base and often secondary urns were inserted later.

"The mounds acted both as burial grounds and as territorial markers and were found round the edges of boundaries."

Mobile phone company Orange submitted the application for the mast; a 20m lattice tower supporting three antennae and two microwave dishes. Equipment cabinets would also have to be built next to it.

The site is close to an existing mast and a pylon, both owned by Northern Electric, but Orange has found it impossible to reach an agreement to share the structures.

Cash for quilt

A QUILT festival and charity quilt draw in Guisborough last month, raised £3,739.61 for Diabetes UK.