Outraged villagers have launched a fight against a major telephone company after plans were revealed to construct a 20 metre mobile mast on a south Bucks beauty spot.

At the beginning of July CTIL - a Vodafone and Telefonica company - submitted an application to Wycombe District Council to erect the Vodafone and Telefonica mobile phone mast off Old Oxford Road in Piddington Village

Residents fear the phone mast – which could be just 10 metres from the nearest home – will have an impact on their health and wellbeing and “irreparably damage” surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Piddington and Wheeler End Parish Council has objected to the proposals on the online application along with dozens of villagers.

Leading the campaign, resident Sue Ing-Simmons, said: “The proposed site, in the Piddington Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is less than 10m from the nearest home, which is also a listed building and close to many other residences.

“According to Wycombe District Council’s own Adopted Core Strategic policy they are committed to ‘sustain the amount and quality of Green Belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and give priority to protecting areas of landscape value’. Oddly, the site chosen is in a valley.”

Campaigners objecting to the phone mast argue that many villagers use mobile internet via their home broadband router – so the area is in greater need of a faster broadband connection.

Mrs Ing-Simmons continued: “Recent academic studies have shown that the health and wellbeing of residents living close to mobile masts could be negatively impacted and there will inevitably be disturbance from construction and maintenance traffic, loss of privacy to residents overlooked by the mast, and a threat to endangered species of wildlife, including bats, in the area.”

However one Queen Street resident supported the plans, stating that if people are prepared to use a mobile phone then there should be no objection to plans to install a mast.

He commented on the application saying: “If one is prepared to use the system, one should not object to installation of necessary equipment even if it is nearby. From conversations I am aware there are many others in the village who feel the same.”

Spokesman for CTIL said: “Telefonica customers expect to be able to use their mobiles and devices where they live, work and travel.

“Base stations are low powered devices which cover approximately half a mile in radius, therefore we have to put base stations close to our customers.

“Telefonica identified that they need to improve the coverage to their customers in Piddington and have proposed a base station at Oxford Old Road. We are now awaiting the Local Planning Authorities decision.”

Piddington residents have until August 11 to comment on the plans.