HAMPSHIRE'S top politician has written an angry letter to the chairman of Orange demanding the company speaks to him over a controversial mast proposal in Winchester.

Council leader Councillor Ken Thornber wrote after claiming the mobile phone firm failed to reply when the council wrote to Orange in December last year about plans for a mast near to a school in Byron Avenue.

Orange has denied it has failed to discuss the matter and instead blames the authority for failing to allow a mast on land at its own headquarters.

The dispute began after Orange submitted plans to erect a new mast in Byron Avenue.

Residents have fought a long battle against the mast on the grounds that it would pose a health hazard to children attending nearby Western Primary School.

Winchester City Council rejected the proposals at the planning stage, but Orange won at appeal.

A further appeal in the High Court was made by two residents on behalf of their children. A final decision is expected in November.

In the letter, Cllr Thornber says he is disappointed that no effort has been made by Orange to further investigate an alternative site.

However a spokesman for Orange denied the company had failed to write back and warned that because the matter still had an appeal pending against it, they were unable to give an in-depth comment.

The spokesman said: "Councillor Thornber has written to Orange on two occasions asking that we abandon the proposed Byron Avenue mast site.

"As we explained in both replies, we could only consider an alternative site which offered a similar or better level of radio coverage. The only realistic such alternative available to us in this area is Hampshire County Council's own Ashburton Court site - which they have continued to rule out for reasons of their own."

This latest dispute comes just after protestors held their fourth annual 24-hour vigil on the proposed mast site.

Grandmother-of-two, Karen Barratt, who staged the vigil last weekend, said: "I am very pleased Cllr Thornber has written the letter and it seems as though he is making very strong representations to Orange that this site shouldn't go ahead.

"However, I don't hold out much hope for a favourable response from Orange, as they have repeatedly ignored the wishes of this community, the city council, and even individual children who have written to them asking for a mast not to be built near their school."