PHONE mast campaigners are celebrating after an appeal by two mobile phone giants was thrown out.

Orange and O2 appealed last November against a decision by Hart District Council to refuse an application to erect an 18.5-metre-high mast near a gas compound site in Reading Road, Hook.

But following a site visit by an inspector on June 9, the Planning Inspectorate has dismissed the appeal, claiming the mast would cause "visual harm" to the area.

Inspector John Roberts, whose decision has only just been published, recognised the lack of alternative sites in Hook and the need for improving mobile phone coverage.

However, he said that the companies did not go far enough in their plans to hide the mast with trees and landscaping.

Mr Roberts wrote: "Although the site has no special designation for its character or appearance, I nevertheless consider that it has an attractive rural feel and that the proposal would seriously harm that character."

The decision follows months of campaigning against the mast by Hook residents.

Before Hart District Council's decision to reject the application, concerned people campaigned by handing out leaflets and attaching posters to wheelie bins.

And more than 100 or them wrote to the Planning Inspectorate opposing the appeal.

Carl Evans, who lives in John Morgan Close, off Reading Road, said: "I am pleased - we really do not know where the companies can go from here.

"We have put a lot of work into this and so there is tremendous relief at the decision. The point that we were making was that, if approved, the planning inspector would be setting a precedent.

"If you could put a mast there, you could put it anywhere."

Jim Stevenson, communications manager at O2, said the company would return to Hook with a view to making another application.

He said: "We are disappointed and surprised by this decision. We need to read the report, go back to the site and look at another application to put in there.

"Our customers expect a service and we must make sure we adhere to their requests."