DISILLUSIONED residents have lost their long-fought battle to prevent a telecommunications giant installing more mobile phone masts in their cancer-hit street.

Concerned with the high number of cancer sufferers and possible links to radiation, residents of Carnarvon Road, South Woodford fought tooth and nail to prevent Hutchison 3G installing even more masts in their street.

But despite the groundswell of opposition, including a rejection of the plans by Redbridge Council, a Bristol-based planning inspectorate appeal found in favour of the third generation mobile phone company.

The firm has now been given the green light to install three antennae, three communication dishes and a communications cabin on top of the already cluttered mobile phone mast station at Forest House.

Disappointed Peel Road campaigner Rosamund Weissman said: "I think this appeal decision is incredibly insensitive to local feeling, especially cancer victims, their families and their friends.

"The residents don't want the extra masts, the local authority doesn't want them and we're overruled by a remote Bristol inspectorate. We are very disappointed and saddened by this decision."

Mrs Weissman has a dossier of letters written over many months to MPs, council officials, the Government and other authorities with the power to back residents' concerns.

However, despite the knock-back, Mrs Weissman and her neighbours are determined not to give up the fight and are now pushing for laws to be changed calling for a tightening of the UK's accepted levels of radiation emissions.

Mrs Weissman said the UK legislated for electric field strength radiation levels of between 41 to 58 V/M (volts per metre) whereas countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden allow masts with just three V/M.

She said: "The law in this country has to be changed and it's down to our MPs to get together with their colleagues across the country and push for stricter legislation.

"I have also written to the Public Protection Office of Redbridge Council asking them to obtain a radiation meter to give readings in the homes of any concerned residents and advise them about the safest spots in the house."

Hutchison 3G's spokesman Mike Davies told the Guardian: "A survey was carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board 18 months ago which found that the antennae on the building were not contributory factors to the health of the area.

"The report also said that the cases of cancer in Carnarvon Road were well below national averages and that mobile phone masts are not contributory factors."

May 1, 2003 10:00