Workers are fighting to stop a mobile phone mast going up on their office.

Vodafone has been given permission to put it on the roof of Intergen House in Western Road, Hove.

About 100 people work for 14 companies in the eight-storey building and many say the landlord, Robert Douglas, did not tell them what was happening.

Workers, neighbouring residents and Brighton and Hove councillor Paul Elgood fought two previous applications which were refused by the council's planning committee in 2003.

But Vodafone tried again in September last year and was successful.

Mr Douglas said in a letter to the tenants the proposals had been advertised on signs near the building.

But the workers say they only found out about the mast when builders turned up three weeks ago to install it.

Ridgewood's Hair Salon on the ground floor and Ashdown Lyons chartered surveyors on the top floor have managed to delay the works by refusing to give the builders access they need to install the mast. Vodafone has now threatened legal action against Ashdown Lyons.

Jonathan Phillip, manager at Ridgewood's, said: "We are disgusted with the treatment we have received.

"Everybody in the building is furious.

"We are very worried about spending every day working in a building with a mast on the roof.

"It was the responsibility of the landlord and the council to let us know and nobody did.

"When they came to start the work three weeks ago they cordoned off the street, blocking our front door.

"We had to close the salon and lost hundreds of pounds of custom.

"Now they have told us they need us to close on a Sunday before Christmas.

"There is no way we are going to do that."

Cath Senker, who works at Publishing Partners on the fourth floor, said: "We had the right to be informed of an installation that could potentially have a harmful effect on our health.

"We should have been given the opportunity to express our opinions on the matter."

Coun Elgood collected a petition of signatures opposing previous mast applications and was instrumental in getting them rejected.

He said: "For a long time we fought tooth and nail to stop this mast because of its proximity to homes and offices.

"We had some success but the company was absolutely determined to get a mast up there and has just continued to put in applications until it got one through.

"It is a very sad state of affairs considering the previous applications were refused.

"We suggested plenty of alternative sites away from residential areas but Vodafone wasn't interested.

"It's a shame these telecommunication giants have to alienate communities like this."

Mr Douglas declined to comment.