A Winchester grandmother is hoping it will be third time lucky after staging another 24-hour vigil in protest against plans to put a phone mast in her street.

Karen Barratt, 60, of Byron Avenue, Fulflood, is just one of scores of local residents who want to stop phone operators Orange from erecting a 39ft mast on their doorsteps and just 150 metres from nearby Western Primary School.

And if the mast does get the go-ahead the grandmother is confident protesters would not roll over.

Mrs Barratt sat under a gazebo at the top of the road she has lived in for 30 years from noon on Saturday until noon yesterday for the third year running.

The strength of feeling among local residents is immense and Karen expected to receive around 100 visitors during her vigil.

"The strength of our fight has been that the community has been solid and not drifted away," she said.

"There are better places for masts, away from houses and schools."

Karen expected to spend around four or five hours completely on her own over night. She said: "I have never felt worried sitting here on my own but if the mast went up I wouldn't even feel safe in my own bed with all the doors and windows shut."

The first vigil in July 2001 came just days before the High Court ruled that Winchester City Council had to back down over its original approval of Orange's application for the mast.

By the time the second vigil was held in July 2002 the planning committee had unanimously rejected the proposal. But Orange appealed and the fourth and final session of the public hearing ended two weeks ago.

The latest vigil marks the beginning of a one-month wait while the planning inspector considers the decision he will deliver early in August.

The campaigners are left to anxiously wait for the verdict but even if it does not go their way they are determined it will not be the end.

"In order to put it up they have to make sure there is no one on the site so I think they might encounter some unforeseen problems," said Karen.