Published: 05/12/2008 00:00 - Updated: 19/02/2009 09:49

Phone mast bid for church spire

by RICHARD CASTLE

MOBILE phone companies are trying to erect masts in Winshill - including one in a church spire - prompting health concerns over potentially harmful radiation.

Winshill's elevated position makes it prime pickings for mobile moguls and St Mark's Church and Abbot Beyne school have both been approached by unnamed phone companies.

Church elders will "probably not" allow the project to go ahead and PTA chiefs rejected a similar application two months ago.

After her church turned phone company bosses away 10 years ago, warden and Winshill resident Mary Mills says potential damage to the spire and bell tower make her sceptical.

The Brizlincote Lane resident said: "If there's a spire anywhere in this country, the mobile phone people seem to get on to it.

"The application has to be considered but there are many conditions that have to be met and I think the requests these companies are making are becoming ridiculous.

"Our compensation lies in the fact they'd pay us rent and the church is very poor but, quite frankly, I still think it's not going to be worth the hassle."

Abbot Beyne head teacher Christine Thompson housed a mast at her former school in Warwickshire and her experiences prompted her PTA to reject October's proposals.

She said: "When the mast went up at my old school, residents complained about its appearance and potential health risks, which have not been disproved.

"The companies also put a clause in their contracts giving them access to the masts at any time of the day or night.

"Although they paid rent of around £3,000 per year, we were constantly having to chase them up for it.

"The most alarming clause was that, after a specified period, we could not ask them to remove the structure.

"I advised the PTA to reject the proposals we received on the basis of my previous experience."