Residents are celebrating after a U-turn by a mobile phone company which has agreed not to site a mast outside a Halesowen pub.

A representative from 02 told a 60-strong meeting that an alternative site had been found after objections to the mast being erected on a grass verge outside the Maypole pub in Bassnage Road.

The meeting at Lutley Community Centre was told the company was now applying for the 15m tall mast to be positioned in the hedgerow at the nearby junction of Rosemary Road and Lansdowne Road.

If the application is accepted by Dudley Council 02 will plant more trees in the hedgerow to further conceal the mast.

Hayley Green and Cradley South councillor Ken Turner, who organsied the meeting, said there had been unanimous acceptance of the relocation plan.

“I am pleased that 02 listened to residents and decided to relocate the mast,” he said.

The meeting was told that there was a need for more masts because the new generation slim masts had a lower output - with the radio wave output being 100 times less than that emitted from a hand-held mobile phone when is use.