WORRIED residents are fighting plans to enlarge a mobile phone mast only yards from homes.

The mast towers over houses in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, and homeowners are demanding it be moved further away.

Bill Watson, chairman of residents group Nunthorpe Forward, said complaints about hearing problems from people in Gypsy Lane had caused concern.

He said: "We're very concerned about the mast as it stands, but when we heard about plans for it to be replaced with an even bigger one, it was distressing.

"We are in fear of our health and want this mast moved away. There is no research to say these things are safe and we are just being cautious.

"We cannot blame the recent health problems on the mast until research backs us up but we want this mast moved just in case."

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Council said: "The application is to remove the existing monopole and replace it with a 20-metre mast to accommodate both the 3 and T-Mobile networks."

Ian Swales, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Redcar, is backing the residents' fears.

A spokesman for mobile phone company 3 said the mast was operating 'hundreds of times' below guidelines set by the World Health Organisation and was safe.