RESIDENTS are mobilising against a mobile phone mast being erected at a "beauty spot" near their homes.

One-2-One wants to site a 50ft-high telecommunications pole on land above Towneley, near to Johnson's garden nurseries in Higher Brunshaw, Burnley.

And they say they will even stage sit-ins on the open land in the town to prevent the scheme going ahead.

They are raising a petition and aim to object to the plan when it goes before council planning chiefs next month.

Brunshaw ward councillor Andrew Holder is leading opposition to the mast, which he says it will detract from an area of natural beauty.

He said: "There are beautiful views from this site, right over the Ribble Valley, and we don't want a mast spoiling it."

"The mast would attract people to a wildlife habitat and be a haven for juvenile nuisance - we simply don't want it here."

The Independent socialist councillor is urging Brunshaw residents to back the objections.

Town hall planning spokesman David Ellis said the matter would go to committee for "prior approval" which meant the only issues to be decided were whether siting and appearance of the tower were suitable.

He said an identical application to place a mast at Florence Avenue on the Stoops estate had not yet attracted any objections.

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