POLICE were called when an angry group of young mums and grandparents prevented workmen from laying cables for a controversial mobile phone mast.

Four police officers intervened after the workmen claimed they were being intimated by the group which included an 80-year-old woman and mothers with their young children.

The protesters, clutching flasks, shopping bags and library books, assembled in the pouring rain yesterday morning after word spread that four workmen were starting to lay cables on Woodgreen Drive in Warndon Villages, Worcester.

They were particularly annoyed because, after a long-running battle to prevent the mast going up, phone company O2 was due to meet residents tonight.

One of the protestors, Peter Limbrick, said: "Before the police came, we had our feet gently on the cable and one of the workmen got angry and threw it down, so if there's any damage, that's why. We are hoping O2 has a conscience and will move this mast if we kick up a fuss."

The police told residents the workmen had called them out because they felt threatened by their behaviour.

Amanda Steenson, who is

a mother of three children aged 16, 14 and eight, said: "Look how close this mast will be to the houses. Would you buy a house here with a mast so close?"

An 80-year-old protester, who did not want to be named, said: "This is a really nice place to live and we are worried about the future of people's children and grandchildren. There were only a couple of people here when they called the police."

One of the workmen, Paul McLean, the site agent for sub-contractor Enterprise, said it was the first time he had seen such a protest.

He said: "They were stamping on the cable, stopping us from doing our job.

"Our office said we should call the police and let them deal with it."

The cable was eventually laid and protesters and workmen left the site without any further need for police action.