A woman is threatening legal action against Brighton and Hove City Council over a mobile phone mast near her home.

The first Natalie Nortcliff, of Appledore Road, East Moulsecoomb, knew of the 18m antennae, was when cranes arrived on Thursday morning.

She watched as workers erected equipment 90 metres from the end of her garden.

The mast is on land owned by the Fairway trading estate behind her home.

Mrs Nortcliff, 42, is furious that neither she, nor any residents on Appledore Road, were informed and is demanding the mast be removed.

She said: "It is unbelievable. When the cranes arrived, I thought, 'Oh no, they're putting up some great big chimneys on the factory.'

"But I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the mast.

"It is incredible that the council, which represent the people of Brighton, should even consider allowing such an eyesore and possible health risk in a built-up, residential area."

Brighton and Hove City Council is legally bound to notify all adjoining premises but Mrs Nortcliff believes the council should have notified residents on neighbouring Appledore Road too.

The mother-of-two said: "We want the project to be halted immediately and the mast to be removed.

"If needs be, we will start a fund and take the council to court."

The debate over whether the masts are dangerous continues to rage.

Mobile phone companies maintain masts are safe and meet government guidelines.

While the report by the Government's chief scientific adviser into the safety of phone masts found no firm evidence of a threat to health, the Stewart Report to the Government a couple of years ago, did not rule out the possibility, particularly where schools and hospitals are concerned.

A council spokesman said: "With planning applications, we are required to notify properties considered to be adjoining the development site.

"Mrs Nortcliff's property isn't considered to be adjoining the site and we wouldn't describe the mast as being at the bottom of her garden.

"It's in the middle of an industrial estate. Firms in the industrial estate were notified."