Waking up to an eyesore right outside your bedroom window is bad enough, let alone one that resembles a sex toy and stands tall at over 25ft.
But for one poor man in Wolverhampton, he's been left fuming after a 5G mast – dubbed a 'metal dildo' by furious residents – was put up on his street with no warning.
Property owner Brian Swanson claims there was no notice given and the first he knew of the mast being erected was when he went to the address at Patshull Avenue and was left stunned to see the huge phone mast standing proudly outside.
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Swanson added 'the monstrosity' has also knocked £10,000 off the value of his property. He had hoped to move into the flat when he retired, but now says his partner refuses to move in with the mast outside.
Swanson said: "I was livid to tell you the truth. I haven't got a clue where to complain to but will do as soon as I find out.
"I don't live there but have owned the flat for 15 years and rented it out. I wanted to move there as a retirement home for myself, as it had lovely views of the park.
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"I have family all over the country and abroad and was hoping they could come and visit there. But when I went over earlier this month I looked out of the window and thought: 'What the hell is that?'
"There was just a great big grey mast right outside of the window. I went to check the most and take metre readings when I saw it."
Swanson believes it will affect the value of his property, should he need to find new tenants or wish to sell: "It has spoilt it now - I've considered selling it and think I could lose money. Nobody wants to see a great big mast with a box at the side.
"It has definitely reduced the value. I know that I wouldn't buy a home with a huge mast straight in front of the window. I want to get a valuation but I would say it's knocked off about £10,000."
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Additionally, the grey mast being erected outside has caused trouble at home as Swanson's partner now refuses to move in next to the mast.
He said: "My partner was going to move into the flat with me but there's no way she'd live near a mast. She won't even use a mobile phone she's that paranoid. We've fallen out now but if we hadn't then there's no way she would have come here."
Swanson is also concerned it could affect his health: "Nobody knows the long-term effects of living so close to a mast.
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"You could get brain damage from the waves - microwaves or whatever they are - I mean I'm not a scientist but there could be health issues because of them."
Swanson is taking issue with the City of Wolverhampton Council, as he states he did not receive a letter pre-warning him of the mast going up and he insists the proper planning procedure wasn't followed. He explained: "Someone said that a notice was put up on a lamppost but that's no good. I'd see that from the window and think it was a poster for a lost cat or something.
"Unless you walk past there then you wouldn't see it. I feel like they've just chucked it up. They know that everyone would have complained about it."
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Swanson isn't the only resident to be angry at the new mast. Another resident spoke to The Sun and said: "We call it the metal dildo - the sex toy at the end of the street. It sounds funny but it really isn’t. It’s an eyesore.
"No-one had any idea about it until the workmen turned up two months ago."
However, a City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: “Three (3) are responsible for this mast in Patshull Avenue. The council has limited control over the installation of telecommunications masts and can only comment on some aspects of the proposed siting and appearance of the masts.
"We placed site notices at the location on 3 August 2021 inviting comments about the planned mast and also included the proposal on our website.
"No objections or comments were received in this case."
Three has claimed the mast is 'vital' and is 'critical' in offering the best coverage for residents. A spokesperson said: "5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Wolverhampton. We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and this site is critical to making that happen.
"Masts need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.
"We carried out extensive searches and surveys to evaluate siting options before applying for planning permission on Patshull Avenue. Wolverhampton City Council granted planning permission in September 2021.”
Niamh Spence