An attempt to put a mobile phone mast near a Barnes school has been stopped.

Richmond Council rejected the plans by O2 and Vodafone, which would have seen the 13m mast erected in Lonsdale Road, just yards from Harrodian School, after worried residents objected.

The application, submitted during the school holidays, would have been approved had the planning department not stepped in.

Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith backed residents and vowed to continue working with them so concerns would be heard should an official planning application be submitted.

He said: “I am delighted this mast has been denied.

“It shouldn’t be possible for these sorts of applications to be submitted during school holidays, and I have written to the council asking it to review the rules.”

The decision comes just weeks after Mr Goldsmith held a drop-in session for people to voice concerns about plans for a 15m phone mast in North Richmond, proposed by Network Rail.