IN your article 'Orange to appeal mast decision' (Malvern Gazette, October 12), you mention that I had hundreds of leaflets printed "at my own expense". Five hundred leaflets were in fact printed free of charge by a local printer who immediately saw the urgency of the case and agreed to help. It is thanks to his support and generosity that I was able to reach so many people so quickly.

I was made aware of the overwhelming response from local people when I went to Leominster planning offices to see Orange's letter of appeal. As well as the letter, I was given a book, the size of a telephone directory to look at: all the letters of objection bound together.

The letter of appeal from Orange can now be seen at Ledbury planning offices, but for the people who cannot get to Ledbury during office hours, I would like to quote the concluding paragraph of the letter: "In our submission, the demonstrable need for service in this area, combined with the extreme visual discretion of the selected design approach, should allow for planning permission to be granted."

From reading the letters of objection and talking to local residents, it appears the coverage by Orange is actually the best in the area - so that if this signal is seen as insufficient by Orange it seems inevitable that other telecommunications companies will soon make similar applications.

The environmental claim conveniently ignores that the mast will be five metres higher than the existing trees which are in any case doomed to be 'pruned or felled' to make room for the mast and the surrounding compound - the application states that the 'existing ground is to be cut, filled and battened back as necessary to allow for new compound. How can already old trees survive such a treatment to their root system? Extreme visual discretion? It sounds more like an outrageous act of vandalism which will scar this beautiful countryside forever and be seen for miles around.

If people wish to make additional comments to this appeal they should now write to: The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/08B Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN quoting their reference: APP/W1850/A/01/1074511 and making sure that three copies of their representations are received by November 13, 2001.

CLAIRE DESHMUKH, West Malvern.