IT’S the end of an era.

The Byron Avenue phone mast in Winchester, which sparked a long-running protest campaign, is set to be removed.

Local city councillor Martin Tod says he has a promise that the mast will be gone by the end of August.

The mast was delayed as residents battled for four years to stop its erection in the early noughties.

They lost in the end but now the advance of technology has made the mast redundant.

Cllr Tod, pictured right, found the contact that can get the mast removed – and got a commitment from Dan Perlet, the director of corporate affairs at EE, that it will be gone by the end of the month.

Cllr Tod said: “It’s been surprisingly difficult to get this sorted, but I’m glad we’ve got it done.

"I tried via the county council officers who work with mobile companies to coordinate street works, via customer services at EE and Orange, via various contact emails on the Orange and EE websites and even via social media, but finally hit the jackpot when I wrote via the Mobile Operators Association!”

Daily Echo:
The mast in Byron Avenue

The mast was switched off some time ago, but has been sitting there not working since then. It was also blocking possible disabled access for a path through to Chilbolton Avenue.