Mobile phone mast is uprooted
Exclusive by Stephen Wright
Nov 10, 2005
Cannock and Rugeley Chronicle
A mobile phone mast at the site of a Huntington Rugby club has been hauled down with phone operators Orange treating the incident as criminal damage.
The incident occurred last weekend when the 12.5ft mast at the rear of Cannock Lions Rugby Club, off the Stafford Road , was unbolted and pulled down.
Phone company Orange have since taken photos of the grounded mast, surrounded the site with security fencing to ensure residents' safety, and informed the police.
Community Liaison Officer for Orange , Sue Hammett, said the company were taking the incident seriously and hoped to have network coverage within the next week.
She said: "It seems as though it wasn't an isolated incident with the rugby club trustees informing us damage had also been caused to the youth club and bowling green .
"We believe the incident occurred on Friday (November 4) and our engineers have been down to the site to make sure it's not dangerous.
"It's a high security site as there've been incidents in the past and we are treating it very seriously - this is criminal damage.
She added: "When the mast was first installed there was some opposition and we are very concerned that we have lost coverage in that area as people may need to make emergency calls.
"But we will endeavour to make sure that we have coverage in Huntington within the next week. The matter is now in the hands of the police."
A local resident, who didn't wish to be named, said he had seen the mast grounded on Friday morning.
He said: "There's no doubt the mast had been unbolted with the intention to bring it down.
"The mast has been there for about 18 months and it's fair to say it's caused quite a bit of disharmony.
"Whether it was pulled down by vandals or disgruntled residents nobody seems to know."
Nov 10, 2005
Cannock and Rugeley Chronicle
A mobile phone mast at the site of a Huntington Rugby club has been hauled down with phone operators Orange treating the incident as criminal damage.
The incident occurred last weekend when the 12.5ft mast at the rear of Cannock Lions Rugby Club, off the Stafford Road , was unbolted and pulled down.
Phone company Orange have since taken photos of the grounded mast, surrounded the site with security fencing to ensure residents' safety, and informed the police.
Community Liaison Officer for Orange , Sue Hammett, said the company were taking the incident seriously and hoped to have network coverage within the next week.
She said: "It seems as though it wasn't an isolated incident with the rugby club trustees informing us damage had also been caused to the youth club and bowling green .
"We believe the incident occurred on Friday (November 4) and our engineers have been down to the site to make sure it's not dangerous.
"It's a high security site as there've been incidents in the past and we are treating it very seriously - this is criminal damage.
She added: "When the mast was first installed there was some opposition and we are very concerned that we have lost coverage in that area as people may need to make emergency calls.
"But we will endeavour to make sure that we have coverage in Huntington within the next week. The matter is now in the hands of the police."
A local resident, who didn't wish to be named, said he had seen the mast grounded on Friday morning.
He said: "There's no doubt the mast had been unbolted with the intention to bring it down.
"The mast has been there for about 18 months and it's fair to say it's caused quite a bit of disharmony.
"Whether it was pulled down by vandals or disgruntled residents nobody seems to know."
Starmail - 12. Nov, 11:19
