TOWN leaders have vowed not to give up their fight to stop mobile phone companies erecting more transmitter masts in the Spa.

Wychavon District Council gave planning permission to place a 17.8m third generation (3G) phone mast at The Weighbridge in Union Lane at the end of last month. The development came after Droitwich Town Council agreed to reject the scheme. But they were outvoted at the district council meeting by 12 to seven.

Mobile giant Vodafone's mast will enable its customers to watch video footage or make video calls from their mobiles. But not enough is known about the potential health risks of the new 3G technology, neighbouring residents argue.

Jaqueline Hughes of nearby Acre Lane said: "I still think it is a shame they have decided to place the mast so close to a residential area, especially when there are open fields only a mile away. There are children living down here too and I also have concerns for their health and well-being."

She added that she is going to write to the council right away to voice her objection.

Town Councillor Richard Morris (Con- South East) this week urged residents to use people power to continue the battle. He said: "We have a policy as a Town Council to recommend these masts are placed on industrial sites away from residential areas.

"This new technology is yet to be proven safe and research is still being carried out.

"This is an example of Wychavon District Council going against our wishes and placing them anyway. If we can't do anything then it's important we get the residents to campaign against it."

He added if any one had any objections to the proposals to write to Wychavon District Council and express their feelings.

A Wychavon District Council spokesperson said the mast was replacing an existing one in the car park opposite the railway station and would be further away from residential areas but nearer the chemical factory.

Town and district councillor Michael Barratt (Con-East) said: "Unfortunately, legally there were no planning grounds to turn down the application. As the planning regulations stand at present, health grounds are not a reason to turn the proposal down."

Town and District Councillor Don Lawley (Con-South East) was keen to unite with local parish councils to change the current legislation.

Vodafone acknowledge recent Dutch laboratory experiments which show the effect of 3G emission. But they want to see the experiment replicated before any significance is drawn.

Spokesperson, Jane Frapwell said: "Whilst a statistically significant relationship between fields and "well-being" was noted, there was no evidence to indicate that exposure to 3G emissions causes adverse health effects.

The town clerk is now planning to write to Pershore and Evesham Town Councils along with other nearby parish councils to lobby the Government to change the current planning regulations on phone masts.