Campaigners have been living on site in a caravan for a year now, providing 24-hour cover and keeping guard against Vodafone which wants to build a mast on the corner of Grange Drive and Sapcote Drive.

Mr Duncan said: "Vodafone needs to understand this mobile phone mast is going nowhere. I'm not convinced the residents were properly consulted. Companies should not, and in this case cannot, ignore the concerns of local residents.

"I applaud the determination of the protesters and will be glad to join them. Vodafone would be wise to back off and admit defeat."

Mr Duncan is also writing an Early Day Motion on the issue which he will be tabling at the House of Commons and he will be writing again to Vodafone's chief executive.

Campaigner Sandra Rickell said: "We really appreciate Alan's interest and it's nice to have his support. We need all the help we can get and someone like Alan, who is a well-known public figure, adds weight to our campaign."

The protesters were on red alert last Thursday after workmen turned up near the site.

Campaigners quickly rallied around after E.ON vans turned up in Grange Drive, across the road from the mast site. But it turned out to be a false alarm after it emerged the workmen were there to correct a fault in the road.