AN ANGRY mum drove over a pavement to stop workers from digging holes for a 5G mast.
During a dramatic standoff, Jodie Whitworth dumped her Citroen C1 right where a hole was supposed to be dug, forcing engineers to leave the site.
The 44-year-old left her vehicle when police officers were called to Raymond Road on Wednesday afternoon.
Neighbours and passers-by gathered to support her protests against the unwanted telecommunications pylon.
Plans for a 5G mast in Raymond Road, off Hill Lane, were refused last October after residents raised concerns it would block pavements for dog walkers and wheelchair users.
Now, almost a year later, spray-painted markings have appeared where the mast would be put up.
Yesterday morning, workers arrived at the site and upon being quizzed, told residents that work would start for trial holes to be dug.
Jodie said: “So then we were like, are they going to put up the mast up or not?
“My fiancé told me to take our little car and place it where they were going to dig a hole, he meant on the road, but I put it on the pavement.
“I rang the council planning department and asked them to say 'yes or no' on whether a 5G mast would be put up on the pavement but all they said was they would pass that on.
“I don’t know what else to do, I’m not a troublemaker but it’s really frustrating.
“For us, it’s about all the sneakiness that is going on, we objected to the plans and they’re still going ahead.”
Jodie added: “I spoke to the workers and it’s what they said - the guys at the top, they have got the money, it’ll happen whatever I do. How on earth is that fair? And what are the council doing? They’re being overridden.”
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Southampton City Council has approved a permit request from T-Mobile to carry out trial holes for the feasibility of a potential new telecommunications mast.
“The installation of a telecommunications mast in this location has not been approved and requires an application for prior approval for its siting and appearance to be submitted to the local planning authority.”
According to the council, it has not received any further applications for prior approval since that decision and it is seeking an update from T-Mobile on its future plans.
No appeals were made to the original planning application which was rejected in October 2021.
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