By GEMMA BROWN

Published at 09:46, Friday, 05 March 2010

PROTESTERS in Ponteland are celebrating after they persuaded a telecommunications giant not to site a mobile phone mast outside their village first school.

Determined staff, governors, parents and residents of Darras Hall fought tirelessly for months to prevent Telefonica O2 from installing a 12.5 metre-high mast and base station outside the first school on Broadway.

On Friday, as O2 officials arrived in the village for eleventh-hour negotiations they were met by hundreds of objectors, parents and children lining the streets in protest.

The first school children had made banners, placards and artwork which adorned the meeting venue, the United Reformed Church Hall, and Ponteland Middle School children had produced over 350 letters of protest, which were handed to the O2 delegation.

Following more than two hours' intense discussion with MPs, MEPs, local councillors, protestors and planning officials, O2 announced its dramatic u-turn.

The company has now pledged to work with Northumberland County Council to find an alternative site.

l See special report on pages 4 and 5.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk