A WELL-KNOWN city bistro-restaurant is under siege from anonymous protesters opposed to a 13ft flagpole-style mobile phone mast being fixed to the building's roof.

David Thatcher, who runs The Little Sauce Factory, in London Road, Worcester, has received two threatening letters, a malicious phone call and has had five signs ripped off the front of the building in just four weeks.

But the 49-year-old chef said there was nothing he could do about the mast. The firm he leases the premises from had struck the deal with mobile phone operator - Hutchison 3G.

Mr Thatcher, who took over the restaurant with his wife, Dimple, aged 33, 18 months ago, received the initial poison pen letter after the city council's planning committee granted permission for the mast in February, despite a strong opposition campaign from nearby residents.

"Both letters were threatening to damage the place if the mast went up. One threatened to torch it," he said.

The malicious telephone call, from an anonymous male, came on Sunday, June 8, four days after work had started to install the mast.

Mr Thatcher lives above the restaurant with his wife, who is expecting a baby in October, and her 12-year-old son, Ishu. He said today: "People don't seem to understand that the mast is nothing to do with me because I do not own the building."

He vowed that he would not be driven out of the business by the hate campaign.

"I have invested a lot of time and energy into making this restaurant venture a success and I will not let these idiots force me out," he said.

A spokeswoman for Worcester police said: "I cannot comment on specific incidents that have not been reported to us.

"But I would always urge anyone who is the victim of such crimes to report them to the police so the matters can be fully investigated by officers."