A petition signed by 61 residents was handed in to Huntingdonshire District Council asking that planning permission sought by mobile phone giants O2 for three new antennae, and the replacement of two existing ones, be refused.

However, under delegated powers, the district council was able to agree the plans earlier this month without discussing them at a council planning meeting.

Lorraine Shram, of Duchess Close, joined residents from surrounding roads, including Monarch Road, Bushmead Road, Viceroy Close, Duchess Close and Marchioness Way, in signing the petition which claimed the tower already holds too many mobile phone antennae.

Mrs Shram said: "We are not so much angry, just very disappointed that really we weren't listened to.
"We did really think we would stand a chance, but apparently this is already a working tower.

"If this is a working one, who knows how many more we are going to get. There's no other way around it now. I did ask if we could do anything else, but it's gone too far. We are still cross that it's so near to us, as they shouldn't really be near houses.

"It's such an eyesore. If you live in one of the houses on Monarch Road it's unbelievable what they have to look at."
A spokeswoman for the district council said: "We did have details of a petition, which we took into consideration, as we would any other objections from residents. The decision was made following all the necessary procedures and regulations."

Mrs Shram explained her next step will be to contact the Health and Protection Agency (HPA) in a bid to get a radiation test done in the area.

She added: "The council has said there's no danger and that it is going to get the other ones checked and remove the ones that aren't working. And if the new ones aren't working in three months it will take them down.

"But we want to get someone to do a radiation test up there, because if we have to have them we want to know they are safe.
"It's just general care for everybody. I would love a radiation test be done and it be high, as that would prove that we have been arguing a valid point."