People living in a hilly rural district will have more chance of being able to use their mobile phones if a new transmission mast is allowed.

At present, there are many blank spots in the area around Barnard Castle, where the mobiles can not pick any signal.

But now Orange Personal Communications wants to install a 15-metre structure with three dual-band polar antennae and two transmission dishes on high land between Stainton Village and Stainton Grove.

Members of Stainton and Streatlam Parish Council are objecting to the scheme, which will come before Teesdale District Council's planning committee for a decision next Wednesday.

Orange says in a statement to the committee that the site was selected because it will provide good coverage into areas that have a poor signal or none at all at the moment.

The company said it has analysed several other places in the locality, but they proved to be not technically suitable or the landowner was not willing to co-operate.

Planning officer Bill Mc-Ewan said he will recommend that planning permission is granted. He felt the slim mast, finished in galvanised steel, would be designed and positioned to minimise its impact on the landscape.