Council employees will be investigated for allowing a mobile phone mast to go up after it was rejected by planners.

David Gardner, a former employee of Brighton and Hove City Council, complained after the 15-metre mast was put up in Hangleton Way, Hove.

Residents had been told by councillors proposals for a mast, submitted by Orange, had been rejected.

Mr Garner, 50, who lives opposite the mast, said: "About 60 families wrote to the council and objected saying it was out of keeping with the area and a possible health risk with a school and park nearby.

"But the council had missed a 42-day deadline to notify Orange that it objected. That gave it the right to put the mast up by default - and that is exactly what had happened."

"It is too late to get it taken down but the council's inaction needs to be shown up, which is why I am reporting them to the Local Government Ombudsman."

Hangleton councillor Mark Barnard asked the council's planning department to explain why the deadline was missed.

Development control officer Steve Walker told him that, until August 22 last year, mobile phone companies had not needed permission for masts of 15m or less.

But, from August 22, the Government introduced rules to make permission necessary for all masts after consultation with neighbours.

Phone companies promptly flooded the council with applications in a bid to get them in ahead of the change.

Mr Walker said: "Basically, we got inundated. We refused a number of masts on October 1 but the applicant's agent argued the period for notification had expired on September 28.

"The agent appears to be correct and the mast was installed since our decision was not made within the statutory period."

Resident Lynne Ismail has launched a petition to stop a mobile phone mast being erected near her home.

The mother-of-one was unaware of the plan to put a mast on the roof of Preston Circus fire station in Brighton until a leaflet was pushed through her door.

Mrs Ismail, of Ditchling Rise, Brighton, said: "I'm not against technology or mobile phones or masts as long as they are sited wisely but I don't consider this a wise place.

"Firemen will be sleeping under it and there are lots of homes nearby."

She has collected 300 signatures which will be presented to East Sussex Fire Authority at a meeting today and to Brighton and Hove City Council.