VILLAGERS who have described a temporary telephone mast as a monstrosity are fighting to ensure that it does not become a permanent fixture at Well, near Bedale.

The 40ft steel mast has been erected on land at the telephone exchange in Church Street by BT, which said this week that action was taken as an emergency measure following technical problems in the area.

The mast, surmounted by a large dish, has been erected just outside the Well conservation area and will give a line of sight to another BT pole at Arncliffe woods, north-east of Northallerton.

But residents, who said the mast marred an area of the village which included the historic church, complained that they were given no advance notice that it was to be put up last week and voiced fears that it could fall over in high winds.

More than 100 villagers have so far signed a petition objecting to the siting of the mast and opposing any application which may be made by BT to make it permanent when the six-month temporary period expires.

Coun David Webster, chairman of the parish council and the local representative on Hambleton, said: "What has infuriated people is the fact that no notice was given of the mast being put up.

"I have made it very clear to Hambleton that people are totally opposed to the mast and that BT should be asked to justify why this is an emergency."

He said he understood that since regulations were changed on August 22, BT was not required to give the local planning authority 28 days' notice of emergency action.

From inquiries with BT, he understood that old-fashioned copper wire forming the telephone line from Well crossroads to the exchange had been failing, disrupting operations at the exchange.

Residents who said BT had conducted surveys around the exchange earlier this year, claimed that in erecting the mast the company had taken advantage of the change in regulations governing emergency action.

Mr William Holmes, who farms opposite the exchange, said: "The mast is a monstrosity. The system might have failed a bit, but BT was just waiting for an opportunity so that no one could object. Not much preparation went into the foundations. The mast is swaying in high winds."

Mrs Linda Musgrave, who lives next to the exchange and has organised the petition, said: "We are objecting to the siting and the lack of consultation and want an assurance that the mast will not become permanent. We feel that if we don't do something now, BT will say no one had any objections."

A BT spokesman said the mast fully complied with planning guidelines, pointing out that the company had a legal obligation to provide network services to customers and to maintain the infrastructure. "We have commissioned two feasibility studies, one into possible alternative sites for the mast and dish and potential replacement of the mast with new fibre optic cable. The results should be known in the near future.