Fresh from victory in their year-long battle with a telecommunications giant over a mobile phone mast, protesters plan to take their campaign to 10 Downing Street.

The protesters won a 24-hour stand-off with Vodafone last month when workmen – backed by more than 20 security staff and with police on hand – arrived to put up a 30-foot 3G mast on Grange Drive, Melton.

The protesters, who have been living in a caravan on the site for a year, refused to move to allow work to begin.

Vodafone eventually took down its fencing and went away, vowing to return "in the not too distant future".

Buoyed by their success the protesters developed a website and have now been contacted by two other groups fighting plans for phone masts.

The Melton protesters, who have health fears over the mast being so close to homes, are linking up with similar groups in Peterborough and Crewe.

Crewe protester, Alan Cheetham, said: "We saw the BBC news story regarding the campaign and we thought that we would contact them to demonstrate our support.

"We have almost exactly the same problem, but with O2."

The protest group has also bought a caravan to replicate what the Melton protesters have done.

Fellow Crewe campaigner, Sarah Campion, said: "Our group was set up last June. We have the same concerns for the health of all our children. Our site is in a highly residential area and in the middle of four schools and two nurseries."

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has put down an early day motion in Parliament over the residents' concerns.

His motion calls on the Government to bring all mobile telephone mast proposals under strict planning control, to include extensive consultation with local residents.

Melton protester, Sandra Rickell, said: "We're delighted to hear from the groups in Crewe and Peterborough. It makes us feel better because we're not alone.

"This has spurred us on to get in contact with other groups around the country and get it snowballing. We want to take the protest to Downing Street.

"We really believe mobile internet is both an unnecessary luxury and harmful to health.

"Most people don't know the ins and outs of the planning system and the law surrounding phone masts until it's too late.

"We've put the information on the website so people can look it up quickly."

Vodafone say their planned mast falls well within national emissions guidelines and is needed to improve coverage for their customers in the area.

The group's website is:

www.stopthemeltonmast.org.uk