Residents want phone mast moved away from homes

The mast towers over houses in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, and homeowners are demanding it is relocated to a more remote site.

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

He said: "We are 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 Borough 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, backed the residents.

He said: "Research is increasingly showing health risks associated with these masts.

"In this case, there is ample room to move the mast further away."

Mr Swales said he had written to the council asking for a new site, but the council only has the power to object and the final say rests with the phone operators.

A spokesman for T-Mobile said: "We have agreed in principle to a mast share with 3, following Government guidelines which state best practice of sharing masts where possible.

"T-Mobile understands there sometimes can be concerns when locating base stations in communities.

"Based on over 40 years of research, T-Mobile is confident that its base stations, operating within strict national and international guidelines, do not present a health risk to any member of the public."

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.