A CLEVELAND cricket club fears losing its hard-won junior section if a phone mast scheme gets the go-ahead today.

Members of Preston cricket club are worried parents will withdraw youngsters amid health scares over such masts.

The match secretary, Mr Malcolm Corking, said: "It has taken us a long time to get the junior section up and running and this could wreck everything we have worked for.

"The youngsters are our future. We need them to survive."

Club members say they were not properly consulted over the application for a 22.5metre monopole at the Durham Lane industrial estate in Eaglescliffe.

They ended up with just 24 hours to voice their concerns - and that was only after the intervention of ward Coun John Fletcher.

Stockton planning committee will today be urged to approve the scheme.

The site for the proposed mast is on the boundary of the cricket club's land. The club has junior cricket and soccer pitches and the management committee is worried parents of young players might pull out because of possible risks.

The site is also in the middle of the club's sightscreen and it is feared this could distract batsmen. The club could face having to buy a new screen and there are no funds for this.

Egglescliffe Parish Council has discussed the issue and clerk Mrs Helen Rennison said: "The club would be affected more than anyone else by this and it is unfair it was not able to comment at the start."

Mr Corking said: "The mast site is right by our junior playing area. We have 50 youngsters playing for us and we are proud of that achievement.

"If the mast gets the go ahead we would have to notify parents and they would then have to decide whether to let their children carry on playing.

"We would be really miffed if the juniors are affected. It has taken us a long time to get this junior side going and if something like this destroys all that hard work the future of the club could be affected.

"The young ones are our future and we need a junior section to keep going."

The club has asked the council for some kind of screen to be provided if the application is approved.

Ironically, Stockton mayor Coun Pete Andrew is a member of the club's management committee.

"We have had a raw deal and we will certainly be making our anger clear to Stockton council," said Mr Corking.

The council principal planning officer, Mr Barry Jackson, said the club's comments would be taken into account by the planning committee.

In considering the application from Crown Castle International, members would take note of recent government advice on health issues