A PENSIONER has said fear of a proposed phone mast - thrown out by planners this week - has driven her to a stress-related illness.

Heather Needham, 66, said she was seeking treatment for a gastric ulcer after a second attempt by a mobile phone giant to put a mast at Stourport Workmen's Club in Lickhill Road.

It was the second time in five months that a mast planned for the club had been rejected by members of Wyre Forest District Council.

Mrs Needham, of Lickhill Road, said: "It has been absolute hell - worry, sleepless nights, vomiting.

"It started in August of last year and when it was turned down my health started to improve again."

News of an appeal by operator T-Mobile against the council's refusal of the September application, along with the new application, had made her ill again, she said.

She had written to the Planning Inspectorate "begging" for the appeal to be turned down.

"I was prepared to pay to go to judicial review," Mrs Needham said.

"We have fought long and hard, we have been on the phone and internet for hours and hours."

Members of the council's planning (development control) committee refused the flagpole-style structure for the club on Tuesday night but the appeal from last year will still go ahead.

Six letters opposed the latest plan while 72 letters and two petitions with a total of 66 signatures had opposed the September application.

Agents for the operator said no alternative sites were available and pointed to appeals which had been successful elsewhere in the UK and had defeated the reasons for refusal given by the council in September.

Councillor Chris Nicholls, however, said: "I don't particularly like having a gun pointed at my head."

He went on: "The message there is 'get real, councillors and do as you are told' but, sorry, I am not going to do as I was told."

Councillor Marcus Hart said he reluctantly had to move approval as "we have clear planning guidance from the Government" over mast applications.

Another application, to replace an existing mast at Hillcroft Caravan Park in Cleobury Road in Bewdley, was deferred so residents could be consulted.