ANGRY residents, councillors and a headteacher have banded together to protest against plans to erect a 50ft phone mast next to houses in Halesowen.

Vodafone is consulting over proposals for a mast and two equipment cabinets to be located on a grassed area in Narrow Lane at the junction with Firth Park Crescent.

WFS Telecom, acting as agents for the mobile phone company, says 22 other sites have been considered in the area but were not suitable.

In a letter to Halesowen North councillors and a few residents, the agent states: “The operators have made every effort to identify a location that will have the least visual impact and avoid any sensitive use.”

Vodafone is being forced to find a new site for its mast currently on the roof of Formula 1 Autocentres, Long Lane, after being given notice to quit.

But residents and councillors Hilary Bills, Stuart Henley and Karen Shakespeare fear it will be an eyesore for residents and destroy an area of natural landscape.

The junction is also and accident blackspot with 10 crashes reported between September 2013 and October 2014. Councillors fear the siting of a mast could impact on future safety schemes for the road.

Brian Hayes, of Firth Park Crescent, said it would be a “monstrosity” towering twice the height above the roof line from his property.

Hurst Green Primary School headteacher Julia Bathurst has written to WFS Telecom expressing concerns about erecting a mast close to the school and appealing for the to reconsider the proposal, which has not yet been submitted as a planning application.

Jason Scott, of Firth Park Crescent , said the grass was used by children to play on in the summer and the phone mast would look “hideous”.

He added: “The mast is totally inappropriate for a densely populated residential area.”

Neil Wilson said he would look directly at the mast from the living room and bedroom at his home in Narrow Lane and is urging Vodafone to select a more industrial location for it.

Residents have until next Tuesday (March 31) to send their objections to WFS Telecom Ltd, 14, Carmyle Avenue, Glasgow G32 8HJ.