A mobile phone company has withdrawn its application for a telecommunications mast in an Oxfordshire village following local objections.

BT Cellnet's proposal was due to be discussed by the Vale of White Horse District Council today. The company wanted to put up a 12.5m mast in Kennington, near Abingdon.

Dr Evan Harris, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, expressed his delight at the news. He said: "The site they were proposing on the corner of The Avenue and St Swithun's Road was completely unsuitable as it would block sight lines at a busy junction and would be very close to houses.

"One doesn't have to accept the health risks from mobile phone masts in order to realise that this was a ridiculous place to site the mast, and local residents will be relieved at this news."

He has written to BT Cellnet urging it to consider more suitable sites or sharing a mast with other phone companies who already have facilities in place in the area.