Protesters wore death's head masks and carried placards to demonstrate against plans to build mobile phone masts near their homes.

The protesters, who are angry about applications by mobile phone companies to build masts on the coast between Saltdean and Newhaven, briefly stopped rush hour traffic last night.

The masts will be under 15 metres high and may not need planning permission from the planning authority, Lewes District Council.

Peacehaven and Telscombe Town Councils have objected to the proposed sites.

In Peacehaven, masts are planned for the cliff top at The Highway, Balcombe Road, near Hoddern School, and close to Meridian School in Cripps Avenue.

There are also plans for masts at Telscombe Cliffs by the Badgers Watch pub and the junction of Telscombe Road and Kirby Drive.

Jill Jerome, one of the campaign organisers, said: "These masts are ugly and a danger to all residents, especially children.

"In America, they keep the masts away from residential areas, yet some sites in Peacehaven and Telscombe are within a 100 feet of homes and areas where children play.

"We won our fight against the expansion of the Portobello sewage treatment works at Telscombe Cliffs and we intend to stop the masts being built in areas where they are too close to homes.

"They gave the go-ahead for a mast at Newhaven and then it grew bigger and bigger with all sorts of dishes put on it.

"We just don't want that kind of thing to happen further along the coast."