CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating success in their bid to stop an eyesore telephone mast going up in a beauty spot - but have been warned to watch out for more mast plans.

Residents of Rawdon have succeeded in stopping plans by mobile phone firm Mercury OnetoOne to build a communications mast close to Billing Hill.

Some claimed the mast - which would have stood close to a similar mast owned by Orange Communications - would spoil views of the popular beauty spot, and would be visible for miles around.

Others feared emissions from the mast could be harmful to those living nearby, and to children at a nearby school. The mast was to be sited near the Billing View residential home for the elderly, and close to St Peter's Primary School.

Ward councillor Brian Cleasby (Lib Dem, Horsforth) said: "I'm absolutely delighted. Rawdon deserves better than that, but we're not in the clear yet.

Coun Cleasby distributed 500 leaflets about the mast plan to residents, fearing they did not know of the plan. He also distributed 300 leaflets about a similar mast plan in Horsforth.

Now Coun Cleasby is warning residents to be on their guard and look out for any new plans being submitted to the council.

A Leeds City Council spokesman said the application was refused because of its likely impact on the green belt and the local nature area.

"Also, it was felt that it was more exposed than the previous mast and would have been more visually intrusive. We subsequently also received 15 written objections," he said.

The Horsforth application was also turned down, as councillors feared it might open the floodgates for more mast applications.