PROTESTORS opposed to overhead power cables have said they are going to step up their campaign following a report of links with childhood cancer.

A study for the Department of Health has revealed that living near high voltage power lines almost doubles the risk of childhood cancer.

The report found that children who lived within 100 metres of power lines were more likely to suffer from leukaemia.

Although officials were alerted to the findings three years ago, the report was not made public until yesterday when it was uncovered by Sky News.

Anne McIntosh, the Conservative MP for the Vale of York and Shadow Environment Minster, has said she is launching a campaign to inform the public about their health risks.

She said: "I shall judge the campaign by its success in ensuring no further overhead pylons are built across the Vale of York, or elsewhere in North Yorkshire, which is particularly threatened with new pylons to connect wind farms to the National Grid.

"This report has confirmed our worst fears. It does beg the question why it wasn't made public."

Rosalind Craven, from Huby, near Easingwold, is fighting a legal battle to have pylons removed from her land.

She said: "I have very strong feelings about this, it makes me very scared.

"I think they're an outrage. It's only going to take one court case to tip the balance."

A spokesman for National Grid Transco said the company was committed to safety and was working with scientists to understand whether there was any link between overhead power lines and leukaemia.

The company follows government guidelines in relation to exposure to electric and magnetic fields.

He said: "It would be completely inappropriate to comment on any study until it is completed, has undergone scientific peer review and is published in the scientific literature."