Residents are outraged that a mobile phone company has appealed after planners turned down its bid to build a mast near homes in Ardingly.

Orange is appealing against the decision not to put a 25m mast at the site of the old telephone exchange.

Jennifer Entwisle, of Lindfield Road, said: "We are getting as many people to write to the planning inspector about points we feel strongly about.

"We still don't want it in the village. We can't go down the health issue route but it is still a concern. There is also a mast not far away and we don't see why they can't use that."

The other mast is a mile away within the South of England Showground A spokesman for Orange said: "We appealed on the usual grounds that we didn't feel we had been treated fairly.

"In terms of the other mast at the showground, it is slightly too far away to reach the area in its present size.

"It could be made to work if it is increased from 15ft to 30ft and it would have to be wider as well.

"On balance it would be better to have one at the exchange instead of having to bolster the mast from far away."

A date for the appeal has not yet been set.