A controversial phone mast will be built on a footpath near a pedstrian crossing used by schoolchildren, despite councillers campaigning for it to be built elsewhere.

The row began when Bolton Council's planning and highways committee granted phone company, O2, permission to erect a 45ft mast at the junction of Moss Bank Way and Captain's Clough Road in Smithills in November.

But since it was near a pedestrian crossing used by children of Church Road Primary School, it was suggested it could pose a threat to safety by cluttering the area around the crossing.

Some councillors asked if the mast could instead be erected on the corner of the council-owned Captain's Clough playing fields, even though members agreed in February 2006, that masts should not be built on council properties.

The move comes after the council decided it could lose potential future income if they set the precendent of allowing O2 to use land, rent-free.

The council would normally be paid rent when a mast is located on its land but even though O2 said it was willing to site the mast on the playing field, the company said it would refuse to pay rent because the permission it originally received was to build on the footpath, which would be rent-free.

Following a report on the application, executive member for development, Cllr Ebrahim Adia, rejected the idea of siting the mast on the playing field because Bolton Council could lose money.

Cllr Bob Allen, a member of the planning and highways committee, said he was put out by the decision. He said: "Some people felt there just wasn't space on the footpath because it gets busy around the crossing with children crossing the road."

Defending the decision, Cllr Adia said highways officers had assessed the safety issue and told him there was no risk whatsoever to the public.

Cllr Roger Hayes, a member of the planning and highways committee who voted against the mast, said: "It doesn't make much difference to me whether it is on the field or the footpath - I'm disappointed it's going to be there at all."

Josepth Crook, vice-chair of the Church Road Primary School, said: "Our children use the playing field so that could mean more of a health risk while having it on the footpath might be a threat to safety. We can't win either way."