FURIOUS Pinner residents are facing life opposite an unwanted mobile phone after blundering council officers failed to reject the application in time.

Harrow Council turned down a bid by Orange for an 11.5m high mast on a small piece of grass at the junction between Grove Road and Rayners Lane, after dozens of resident objected to the plans.

But a council officer missed the 56-day deadline to let know Orange know their application had been turned down, meaning the phone company can put up the unwanted mast by default.

Monica Miller, who lives opposite the green space, said: “The person who made this mistake should be sacked, what excuse can you possibly have?

“This is one example of the council's incompetence, how many more mistakes like this have there been?”

Reshma Patel, 36, who organised the original petition against the Grove Road mast, said: “This is a case of council incompetence and we as residents have been left with the result of their blunder.

“People are upset and confused, it is not difficult to keep track of the things they need to do.

“If it is just a case that someone forgot about it, then surely this is something that can be worked out with Orange.”

Phone masts come under special government legislation, meaning they will be approved if the application is not fully dealt with within the time limit.

And incredibly, the same bungling council department failed to tell Vodafone its application for a 12.4m high mast in St Thomas' Drive, near the junction with Uxbridge Road, had also been rejected.

This gaffe means a second mast can be put up in the borough despite being rejected by the council and fiercely opposed by residents.

Councillor Marilyn Ashton, who heads the planning department, has apologised unreservedly to residents affected by the double blunder.

She said: “There is no excuse for this mistake, and we are very sorry it has happened.

“I am furious and I feel sorry for for the people involved. They are upset, and they are right to be upset because you wouldn't want to have one of these things near you.

“If there was anything I could do to change this, then I would do it, but unfortunately it is out of my hands.”

Cllr Ashton and the angry residents have turned to Vodafone and Orange, asking them not to use the sites even though they have the legal right to erect the unwanted phone masts.

Cllr Ashton said: “I would like to say to Orange and Vodafone, give us a break. As a gesture of goodwill we are asking that they do not use the sites.

“I would have thought it would be public relations disaster on their part.”

Ms Patel added: “Orange probably think for them there are just a couple of disgruntled people in Pinner and don't realise what's going on yet.

“We will have to put pressure on them because this is only going to look bad for them.”

The Harrow Times contacted Orange and Vodafone and is waiting for a response.