CABLE layers aren't welcome on an open plan estate.

The majority of people with homes in Ashling Court, Tyldesley say the rush to install the latest communication technology is no excuse for marching roughshod over people's property.

Anti-cable campaigner Peter Brettell is furious about plans to dig-up his garden to give him something neither he nor his wife, Marilyn, want.

Health service worker Mr Brettell said:"We're trying to get it stopped. I don't want this product although I appreciate other people might.

"I do not have a showpiece garden but I enjoy it and object to someone coming and ripping it up. We think its a bit much but Nynex Communication seemed surprised when we objected.

"We are law abiding citizens and, although we wouldn't use a big stick to stop them, we would try everything possible to prevent them wrecking our garden."

A spokesman for Nynex told The Journal : "We advised residents we would be working in the service strip area adjacent to their property and they asked us to delay construction until they had contacted the local authority and their solicitor for confirmation of the service strip status. We will be contacting them again once their enquiries are complete."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.