The Tetra police radio masts were erected in the middle of the night

O2 Airwave put up the masts at Rogate and East Marden in West Sussex last weekend - despite not having planning permission.

The firm admitted it had pre-empted the outcome of planning meetings when it built the masts, designed to be used by emergency service radios.

It removed the main masts at both sites on Friday and said the rest of the equipment would be cleared when weather improved.

The council takes breaches of planning control very seriously and we shall therefore be monitoring the situation very closely Sam Howes, Chichester District Council

O2 Airwave had been refused permission for the Rogate mast but an appeal against the decision is waiting to be heard.

A planning application for the East Marden mast has not yet been considered by councillors.

Residents had started a vigil at both sites amid fears the masts could be harmful to health.

It has been suggested the technology used in Terrestrial Trunked Radio (Tetra) masts can cause cancer.

On Wednesday O2 Airwave agreed to remove the masts, which were installed at 0200 GMT last Saturday.

At one stage Roman Abramovich the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea Football Club had joined the campaigners.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had joined the protesters

His 424-acre estate at Fyning Hill is next to the Rogate site.

Sam Howes, deputy chief executive of Chichester District Council, said: "The council is pleased O2 has now partially complied with our requests to the extent that neither site can transmit signals, but we will be seeking to secure the removal of other equipment in the near future.

"We hope that further actions, such as the ones we have seen, are not repeated again.

"The council takes breaches of planning control very seriously and we shall therefore be monitoring the situation very closely."

The Tetra radio network, which is being installed for 29 police forces in the UK, offers better coverage than mobile phones as well as secure high-quality transmissions.