THE plug may have been pulled on a controversial mobile phone mast after Tonbridge and Malling council barred Orange's builders from trespassing on its land. The mobile phone operator outraged residents by exploiting a council administrative blunder to go ahead with the 15-metre mast at Larkfield Sports Club in New Hythe Lane.

Orange had begun digging a trench across land owned by the borough council to connect the mast to an electricity sub-station behind Larkfield Leisure Centre, but officers hit back, taking legal action to halt the work. The company has apologised for trespassing on the land and agreed to make good any damage it has caused, but it is unclear whether an alternative power source will be found.

A spokeswoman said: "Orange is considering an alternative source of power supply. This would involve installing a dedicated power source within the boundaries of the transmitter site."

Although Orange knew its proposal had been refused planning permission in May, the company claimed not to have received the council's letter officially informing it of the decision until one day after a planning deadline ran out.

Consequently, it was legally entitled to go ahead with the mast and elected to do so, flying in the face of a petition signed by more than 450 Larkfield residents concerned about potential health risks.

Councillor David Lettington (Lib Dem ) said: "Orange have behaved disgracefully and as a council we are prepared to do anything which we can do to help the residents out. This is great news but it's not necessarily the end of the matter."

A committee representing scores of campaigners who have vowed to fight the mast are also unconvinced. They are concerned that Orange may be able to find an alternative route to supply power. David Giddings said: "We don't think it's over yet. It just depends whether Orange can find another way. In the mean time, we're continuing to do whatever we can to highlight the way Orange have behaved."