The Argus has won its year-long campaign to reveal the locations of planned and existing mobile phone masts.

Brighton and Hove City Council has finally agreed to compile a register of masts in the city.

It has announced it will produce a database of all applications for mobile phone masts as well as existing masts.

The Argus launched its put masts on the map campaign last year after being inundated with requests from readers concerned about their siting and safety.

They complained they were unaware of where many masts were being built and found it difficult to obtain information because there is no legal requirement for authorities to compile lists.

Although most readers did not oppose mobile phone technology, they were concerned that no organisation or authority could give them information on the location of masts.

Jill Davies was one resident who hit a stumbling block when she tried to find out about a proposed mast near her home in Hillside Way, Withdean. She said she went to the planning department at Hove Town Hall and was told no information was available.

Under the new scheme the register will be open to the public, making the information readily available.

Another concern was that masts less than 15m did not need full planning permission. This meant residents were unaware they had moved into an area with a mast nearby.

The Government has ordered the Radiocommunications Agency to create a national database of masts and their sites which should be available by the end of the year.

But the city council and some Sussex district authorities have beaten the agency to the task by creating their own registers.

Brighton Pavilion Labour MP David Lepper said: "I think this is good news. Although the Government is producing a national database, the fact the local authority is creating one means the information will be more readily available to residents. It should also help the council in making decisions on future masts.

"It shows the council is taking its responsibility seriously."

Green Party councillor Keith Taylor also praised the move. He said: "I welcome anything which gives information on their siting. People do have concerns about health and the masts."

Tory councillor Peter Willows said: "I'm all for the map because I'm totally against the masts."

Labour councillor Les Hamilton was at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday which decided a database should be drawn up.

He said: "Very few people know where the masts are and who has applied for them.

"I didn't know there was a recent application for one in my ward until one of the residents told me.

"We need an itemised list ward-by-ward of where they are, then the council can be pro-active and perhaps encourage mast sharing."

A council spokesman said: "There is no requirement upon the council to produce maps of installations.

"However, we are asking the main systems operators to provide the council with details of all their current installations, plus those that they will be proposing over the next 12 months.

"It should then be possible for all this information to be collated to provide an overview."

Mid Sussex District Council has also set up a register for mast applications. Councillors on the authority's south area planning committee agreed on Thursday that a map should be drawn up for the whole district detailing the locations of masts.

The request came as the committee was considering nine applications relating to telecommunications masts.