Vandals have attacked a controversial mobile phone mast in Telford as work was being carried out to get it up and running. It is the second time the mast at Malinslee playing fields has been targeted.

An engineer who arrived at the site to carry out some work discovered wires in the pole had been damaged.

Vodafone is now in consultation with Telford & Wrekin Council about how to secure the site.

Dr Rob Matthews, of Vodafone, said: “Vodafone requires the site at Malinslee playing fields to improve the 3G coverage to our customers in the area.

“We have recently moved into the final build phase of the project. Unfortunately, the site has been recently vandalised and a number of wiring systems in the pole have been damaged.

“We are working closely with the council to develop a process for completing the site, ensuring that risks to all parties are minimised.”

The latest vandalism happened at the start of last week.

Dr Matthews said their plans for the mast had not included anything like fencing around the structure so they were having to talk to the council to ascertain what they could put in place.

He said: “It is still our intention to get it live by the end of the financial year.

“This is the second time the site has been vandalised but we recognise there has been a lot of opposition to the site. We don’t know who it was and why they did it.”

The mast sparked a campaign last year by residents and councillors to get it removed.