BT DECLINES MEETING AND SAYS IT HAS COMPLIED WITH OFFICIAL GUIDELINES

09:00 - 05 December 2007

Campaigners worried about the health of their children because of a mobile phone mast near their school have been refused a meeting by BT.

The 'No Masts in Southwell' campaign group asked BT to meet them to discuss their concerns earlier last month. But BT refused, saying it had complied with national guidelines.

The O2 mobile phone mast is on BT land at the Ropewalk, Southwell, about 120m away from Lowe's Wong Infant and Junior Schools in Queen Street.

BT cited reports by the World Health Organisation as evidence that the mast posed no risk and said that as it had complied with guidelines of the International Commission on Non Ionising Radiation Protection, recommended by the Health Protection Agency, there was nothing more it could do.

But campaigner Alison Jacobson, of Southwell, was upset by the lack of response.

"I feel that BT are not respecting our community concerns and I feel we have demonstrated to them that our concerns are not unfounded" she said.

Mrs Jacobson has decided to take her six-year-old daughter out of Lowe's Wong Infant School and send her to Holy Trinity School in Station Road instead. She believes current research does not prove masts pose no threat to children.

She added: "It is a huge decision to move your children. My little girl is losing her friends. But we feel if there is doubt about her safety, that is the right step to take."

Mrs Jacobson stressed the group was not against a mast, but believed more research was needed to prove children were not at risk.

Sheila Street, head teacher at Lowe's Wong Junior School, said she felt people still needed information about the mast. "People are asking a lot of questions which they are not getting answers to.

"I don't feel at the moment that I have any answers about the long-term risk to children. And that concerns me. Most of us have mobile phones and recognise the need for a mast. But why does this have to be so near the centre of the town and the children when we are so unsure?"

The WHO concluded last year that there was no evidence suggesting radio signals from the masts caused adverse health effects.

But 'No Masts in Southwell' campaigners believe more research is needed to determine the precise effects of radio waves on people, and in particular young children.

Newark MP Patrick Mercer has thrown his weight behind the campaign since it started six months ago.

He said: "Nothing will progress unless we can talk to each other. We will be difficult because we really don't want this to happen.

"Emotions are running high on this and they will run even higher."

John Collins, wireless health issues technical advisor at BT, said BT declined the meeting because the company had no influence over the guidelines.

He said: "If the campaigners are willing to be reassured then the WHO should do that. If they will not listen to the WHO, who will they listen to?

"I personally don't think the mast is a threat to anybody."