A mobile phone company has been criticised after erecting a telephone mast before a planning appeal has been heard. A group of 25 protesters tried to stop O2 putting up the mast in the West Sussex village of Rogate.
They said they were concerned about the safety of technology used in the mast, designed to boost emergency services' radio coverage.
O2 admitted it had pre-empted the outcome of an appeal against a decision to reject its plans to build the mast.
But a spokesman denied any of the technology used was dangerous.
The phone firm's application to erect the mast in Rogate, near the border with Hampshire, was rejected by both Rogate Parish Council and Chichester District Council.
It has appealed against the decisions, but neither appeal hearing has yet been heard.
Work on erecting the mast began on Saturday.
It will be part of the Sussex Police network and would use technology known as Terrestrial Trunk Radio Access (Tetra), used across the UK to give emergency services high quality radio coverage.
Local residents have expressed their anger at the use of what they see as dangerous technology and at O2's failure to wait for its appeal to be heard.
Vivienne Coleshill, of the campaign group Protect Sussex From Tetra, said: "They are riding roughshod over our democratic rights.
 |  We win almost every appeal, particularly if they are on the grounds of health because the science suggests they are safe  |
"We say there is evidence that Tetra masts pose serious health risks, such as cancer, and are dangerous to wildlife.
"There is an appeal in place but they have decided to do it anyway.
"All we are trying to do is say to the powers that be, could you delay these masts until we are sure they are safe?"
'No evidence'
A spokesman for O2 said: "There have been some pockets where there has been some concern about the masts, such as in West Sussex, and it has proved difficult to get planning consent from the local authorities.
"The problem is that we have to deliver the system, and so we have had to push ahead with masts such as Rogate.
"We cannot walk away from them, we had to bring certain places into line.
"We win almost every appeal, particularly if they are on the grounds of health because the science suggests they are safe.
"It is extremely clear - there is no evidence Tetra is dangerous."
Mrs Coleshill said the protesters would be trying to stop further work on the mast.
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