Family faces ruin in mast battle

A Worcester family is facing financial ruin after losing a two-year legal battle against a mobile phone company which erected a mast near their home.

Agnes Ingvasdottir and Eirikur Petursson could face a £407,398 bill for costs by Hutchison 3G.

The family's attempt to prove the mast caused health problems was thrown out by the High Court.

Mrs Ingvarsdottir said her family has no way of ever getting together anything like £400,000.

High risk

The company erected the mast, in the shape of a flagpole, on top of the Little Sauce Factory, a restaurant on London Road. It was switched on in 2003.

Lawyers say taking on large companies in court is always a high risk strategy, as they tend to use expensive lawyers and barristers - leaving plaintiffs with potentially huge costs to pay if they lose.

In a statement, Hutchison 3G said the letter sent to the family is not a bill, but part of a legal process for recovering their costs.

The statement adds that it will be up to a judge to decide how much the family has to pay.

'Little sympathy'

The company says it gave the family the chance to withdraw the case at an earlier date and pay less in costs.

The proprietor of the restaurant says he has lost trade as a result of the ill-feeling caused, and has little sympathy for the family.

David Thatcher told BBC News: "They brought it on themselves. Both Eirik and Agnes were very obsessive over this."

However Mrs Ingvarsdottir said she would do it again despite the risks, and intends to dispute the costs in court.