Worried protesters have joined forces in a renewed fight against plans for a mobile phone mast on a Canvey industrial estate.

Mast worries - Samantha Duffield, her son Jack, with councillor Lionel Hart and Nicola Dowsett, who are springing into action again after discovering there are new phone mast plans. Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY 82KQV16

Parents had thought their battle was at an end when members of Castle Point Council's planning committee threw out a proposal by mobile phone giant Orange for a mast in The Point.

However, just days later they discovered bosses at the phone firm were still hunting for a site in the area.

Samantha Duffield, who has a two-year-old son Jack, said: "We are very worried. We had thought the situation was over when the council said 'no' to the application, but now I have heard Orange is still looking for a site nearby."

Samantha, 28, campaigned against the original application and persuaded 182 residents to sign a petition opposing it.

A spokeswoman for Orange said: "We were disappointed the application was turned down because we considered the site, which was on an industrial estate, a good one.

"However, we want to improve the coverage for our customers in the area and we will be looking at other sites in the local area around the Point and we are working with the local authority and are hoping to find a suitable site."

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Published Monday, March 11, 2002