GAZETTE & HERALD: FAMILIES have spoken out against a plan to build a telephone mast just yards from their homes.

Mobile phone company Vodafone has applied for planning permission to build a 15-metre mast 150 yards away from 13 homes at Ryley's Farm, Grittleton.

Residents have said they fear the long-term effects of exposure from the mast's radio waves, and consider the prominent position at the entrance to the track leading to the houses, would be an eyesore.

They are also concerned because there is already a mobile telephone mast to the east of the houses.

They have accused Vodafone of not considering alternative sites in the area.

Engineer Robert Parker, 48, who has lived in Grittleton for seven years, said: "Using a mobile telephone is more dangerous than having a mast nearby, the difference is you have a choice about choosing to use a telephone or not, and you don't have to use it all the time.

"But if someone puts a mast up near your house you have no choice.

"It seems to be that these companies are deliberately targeting sites along the M4 motorway.

"What the hell do we need it for? There already seems to be a lot of masts in the area."

North Wiltshire district councillors have backed the families and demanded that the company provides more information on alternative sites.

Coun Toby Sturgis said: "My main concern is that we want to avoid a proliferation of mobile telephone masts in the area.

"If they are proposing to put something up then I need convincing that its purposes can only be served by erecting a new mast, but I'm not sure they have looked at all the options.

"I don't think this is the best site in the immediate area, but it does appear to be the cheapest for the communication company.

"We need more technical information before we can make a decision."

Father-of-five Martin Alvis, 39, is more concerned about the cosmetic appearance of the mast.

He said he was grateful for the district councillors' support, but upset that the parish council did not raise any objections to the plans.

"It would be right by the road and it's going to be in our faces all the time, but there are plenty of other places where it could have gone," he said.

"I think they have just gone for the quickest and easiest option."

The villagers took their objections to a meeting of North Wiltshire District Council's planning and development committee on February 18.

Mr Parker told the councillors he was particularly concerned at how close the mast would be to the entrance of the track.

He said other mobile telephone masts in the area had been erected in the middle of the fields to reduce the visual impact on nearby homes.

He questioned why it was necessary to build a second mobile telephone mast so close to the homes, when Orange had already erected a mast on the other side of the village five years ago.

Vodafone said its mobile telephones operated on a higher frequency and they were not able to share the coverage provided by the existing mast.

Mr Parker said he was also questioning why the new mast could not be bolted on to the water tower, in Yatton Keynell, which is more than 800 metres from the houses.

He said several other companies had already put up masts there.

The families' concerns will be discussed again at the next meeting of the committee on March 10.

A spokesperson from Vodafone said: "On paper it looks as though the water tower might be a possibility, but we will have to go there and see if it could support another mast.

"Nothing is set in stone and we always appreciate suggestions from local people."