A plan to build an 18-metre tall mast "yards away" from a family home has been refused.

Three UK wanted to build the mast at the junction of Sandy Lane and Macdona Drive in West Kirby, Wirral, to support the rollout of 5G, which the company said was "vital" for residents and businesses in the town.

However, Wirral Council has rejected the proposal due to concerns about the mast harming the character of the area.

248 residents, as well as Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood, objected to the proposal, with four registering their support for it.

Speaking before the plan was refused, the Labour MP said: "Residents are quite rightly concerned that the proposed 18-metre mast would be located in a residential area right outside a family home, just yards away from the owners' front window.

"It was clear when I visited the site to hear people's concerns that a mast of this size is not in keeping with the character of the area and would be unsightly and detrimental to people's enjoyment of the local environment.

"There is also real concern among residents that an 18-metre mast and accompanying cabinet would be a further obstruction to sight lines and a distraction for motorists and pedestrians on what is already a busy junction."

Reacting to the decision to refuse planning permission for the mast, Ms Greenwood said: "I'm really pleased that Wirral Council has rejected the application to build a 5G mast on the junction of Macdona Drive and Sandy Lane.

"This is a victory for local residents who campaigned so hard to oppose these plans and protect the character of their area.

"The council's decision has come as a relief to the community; these plans caused real anxiety for residents, especially those who live right next to the proposed site.

"I pay tribute to everyone involved in this campaign."

Wirral Council's reasons for turning down the proposal were explained in a planning document.

It read: "The proposed development, by virtue of its siting and appearance, would be unduly prominent in the street scene, leading to a detrimental effect on visual amenity and the character of the area."

The authority also said this harm to the look of the area outweighed any economic and social benefits improved connectivity due to the mast might provide.

Prior to the decision being made, Cllr Simon Mountney, who represents West Kirby and Thurstaston for the Conservatives on Wirral Council, said: "The mast proposal is certainly inappropriate in the proposed location and would adversely affect both individuals and families living nearby and negatively change the streetscene being totally overbearing and impactful.

"There are locations where masts are acceptable, this isn't one of them and the company should think again."

Also commenting before Wirral Council refused the application, a Three UK spokesperson said: "5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of West Kirby. We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and a new site will be critical to making that happen.

"While we try to keep mast sites as unobtrusive as possible, they do need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in many cases, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.

"The 5G rollout by all UK MNOs [mobile network operators] complies with all global standards on health and safety which have been developed since the early 1990s – you can see recent independent testing from Ofcom here, and find more information via #5gcheckthefacts on social media."