Villagers are urging telecommunications company T-Mobile not to build a 12m mast, even though the structure has received planning permission - by mistake.

Both the parish council and the Vale of White Horse District Council opposed the siting of the mast in Silver Lane, West Challow, but because the Vale council miscalculated the number of days in which it had to respond to the application, the company gained permission by default.

The council's oversight angered villagers and an extraordinary parish council has been held, 5 at which district council executive member Richard Farrell and local district councillor Andy Crawford were present. They apologised on behalf of the council. The authority is involved in talks with the phone company's agents to try to find an alternative site. After the meeting a committee of four villagers, chaired by former parish councillor Colin Powell, was formed with the aim of encouraging villagers to write to the company.

The committee will meet before Thursday's parish council meeting.

Parish council chairman Ethel Lester said: "It was a well attended meeting, with 25 people present, which showed the depth of anger there is about the district council's mistaken calculation.

"We hope everyone in the village will write to T-Mobile outlining their concerns and ask the company to consider another site for the mast. We can only call on T-Mobile to show understanding."