A BATTLE over plans to hide a mobile phone mast inside a church spire is being taken to appeal.

Vodaphone wants to put its "hideaway" mast inside the spire of Holy Trinity Church, in Knaresborough.

The spire dominates the North Yorkshire town's skyline in Briggate, near the market place.

But, after being turned down by Harrogate Borough Council, the mobile phone company has decided to lodge an appeal.

The plan has sparked protests from local residents on health grounds.

But the firm say the mast meets current Government guidelines.

Knaresborough Town Council decided not to back residents' protests and raised no objections to the structure being hidden in the spire.

A spokesman for the council said that, despite the appeal, its position remained the same.

Borough councillors refused to give the church listed building consent to remove stone louvres from its tower. They would be replaced by ones enabling the mobile phone company to put the mast and equipment room inside the tower.

Protests over the latest mast follow a number of objections about outdoor communications equipment at the town's police station, fire station and telephone exchange.

A church spokes-man said: "We find silence is the best policy. I cannot say anything at this stage."