LEADERS of groups running the New Forest have renewed their concerns over the way the number of telecommunication masts is still increasing.

Official Verderer Maldwin Drummond reminded a meeting of the New Forest Committee at Lyndhurst that people were led in the 1990s to believe mobile phone masts were only temporary.

He said: "We were told: 'Don't worry, all these masts will be swept away and a little satellite will buzz around and replace everything.'

"But that seems to have been rather optimistic and it looks as if we are still faced with the mast situation for some time to come."

The Official Verderer added that one of the problems was that different companies had different masts. He added: "The government should take action and bring all these organisations together."

New Forest District Council planning development control vice-chairman Ann Drake said councillors wanted the companies to work together, but reflected: "We can't impose it on them."

District environmental services director Liz Malcolm pointed out that the Council for National Parks - the Forest could be one soon - was concerned about the issue.

There was praise, too, for the monitoring and research work done by the district planning working group.