But they also reserved some of their anger for Erewash Borough Council who they said were naive and incompetent in allowing the installation to go ahead.

Tele-communications firm T-Mobile applied to put up a 14.2 metre tall mast on the footpath outside The Mallard last year - but while the residents swiftly submitted their own objections, the council missed the deadline for refusing the application by a day. T-Mobile were given deemed consent as a result and meetings called to offer the phone company an alternative site came to nothing.

Since then contractors working for NTL and BT have moved underground cables in preparation for a second mast installation within 100m of the Heanor Road homes - where mobile phone reception is particularly poor.

And residents were woken by contractors on Wednesday who arrived at 5am to put up the mast for phone company O2 - who T-Mobile switched planning permission to under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Alan Tidman of Heanor Road said: "Erewash Borough Council have been very naive over this. They made a mistake but thought they would be able to negotiate. This got through because of the negligence and incompetence of Erewash Borough Council.

"It's unduly prominent, we do not want that there. We want it down, that's our goal."

His wife Diane added: "We've been penalised because we live on one of the highest points of the borough."

And a neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "I drew the curtains and the mast was already up. It was so sneakily done, that's what annoys me the most.

"Something like that stuck in front of your property is not very aesthetic. Other councils are taking householders to court for leaving bins on the pavement, and we've got that on our pavement."

Sue Blakeley, Director of Development and Regulatory Services, at Erewash Borough Council, said: "We are aware that residents have some concerns about this mast. Nevertheless, a valid consent exists for the erection of a mast on this site."

No-one from T-Mobile or O2 was available for comment at the time of going to press.

UNSIGHTLY: The 14m tall phone mast on the pavement outside The Mallard on Heanor Road, Ilkeston. MDB080728B1