TWO months ago today a group of determined residents stopped a mobile phone mast going up in their community.

Mother Collette Finch stood in front of a digger with her two-year-old son Ethan in her arms.

Since then residents, angry at an alleged lack of consultation by Torfaen council and concerned over possible health effects of a 15ft high Vodaphone mast planned for Talywain RFC, Pontypool, have held a constant vigil at the site.

From her living room window on Emlyn Terrace, Talywain, mother of two Ms Finch, 35, keeps a watchful eye on the rugby club across the road and has spent up to 12 hours a day at the site.

She said: ""We had no consultation or anything. So a group of us got together and had a meeting about how we were going to fight it." At 9am on June 6 contractors arrived to start work.

Ms Finch said: "A neighbour and I drove our cars up and blocked the entrance to stop them going through.

"But the police came and made us move our cars .

"So I walked in with the baby in my arms and stood in front of the digger. I just thought there is no way this mast is going up, I'm getting in the way."

The contractors left, and the following day residents set up a permanent base at the site.

A few weeks later residents blocked contractors again, but they know it is only a matter of time before workmen return to erect the mast.

A Vodafone spokeswoman said since the demonstration the company has been in correspondence with local residents.

She said: "There is a dialogue going on. We do intend to build on the site but we don't have any concrete plans at the moment."

She said exposure levels from masts are lower than from mobile phone handsets.

Vodafone is leasing the land from Talywain RFC, who have refused to comment on the matter.