Residents protesting against plans to build a phone mast in Bushey say they are ready to do battle with the network operators one more time.

O2 and Vodafone saw their joint bid for a 12.5-metre mast at the corner of Melbourne Road and Coldharbour Lane rejected by Hertsmere Council in December.

But this week the mobile network operators lodged an appeal to the government’s Planning Inspectorate against the decision.

Jo Wolff, who led protests against the initial application, said: “I was surprised they appealed as it was unanimously rejected by the local committee. It is very obviously the wrong place for a phone mast and I thought they (the operators) would take that as a sign. I suppose it is their job to keep trying just as it is our job to keep fighting it.”

Residents have already written to the Bristol-based planning inspector to object to the appeal and Mrs Wolff is hoping common sense prevails.

She said: “It is up to us to make the planning inspector aware of the local area and we’re hopeful they will see it the same way as us. The more people that write to explain that this is a family residential area with a number of schools, the better. We pulled together to fight this last time and we just need to do it once more.”

The planning inspector is due to carry out a site visit in the coming months before making a decision.