A civic watchdog has won its campaign to control advertising by BT and other payphone operators on telephone boxes in environmentally-sensitive conservation areas.

Last year, Harrogate Civic Society spearheaded a vigorous battle to clamp down on full length advertising panels on the boxes.

Now, members have welcomed a Government announcement that planning permission will be needed for such advertising in conservation areas.

Telephone box advertising in Harrogate's conservation areas brought complaints. But planners said there was nothing they could do to stop them because they did not need planning approval.

Now, Harrogate Civic Society has asked the borough council to draw up strict policies to enforce prevention of the growing trend.

New rules are due to come into force shortly and civic society chairwoman Lilian Mina said the Government move was a "very welcome announcement".

The society backed a national campaign by the Civic Trust on the issue, demanding closure of a legal loophole which allowed payphone operators, such as BT, to put advertisement panels inside call boxes.

It was pointed out that "ugly adverts" were damaging the quality of public spaces. The trust hopes councils will view the adverts as being a "tacky intrusion" and reject applications.