PARENTS, pupils and concerned residents of the Bourne turned out in force to protest against the presence of a mobile telephone mast concrete base. Around 220 people braved the rain to demonstrate against the O2 installation 50 metres away from the Bourne Infant School last Thursday. But the telecommunications giant insist there is no harm in situating mobile telephone masts on the doorstep of nearby schools. A spokesman insisted that "nothing had been proven" by long-term studies into the effects of radiation, and that the company has erected masts within school grounds. The news will be a blow to protesters to the base, which was installed in February, three days before the expiry date of a five-year appeal deadline. If their worst fears are realised, it could house a 40 feet mast, despite mounting opposition and health fears for local children. Parents expressed outrage at the vicinity to the thriving 200-pupil school, which prides itself at being at the heart of a tightly-knit community. "I just think that this is a very happy, successful and lovely rural community. A phone mast should never be located in the middle of such a place," said Rebecca Boyd. "The teachers, parents and children have worked so hard to make the school what it is, and it is an outrage to put the base so close. "If they do install it, I would have to consider where to send my children," she added. In 2005, campaigners won a similar battle against mobile giant Orange, who withdrew proposals for a mast on the same site. With Waverley borough councillors set to run the rule over planning consent for a shared O2 and Orange mast within the Bourne Woods, parents were realistic about the situation. "I don't think the effect of mobile phone masts on children is a proven thing yet, but there's always the chance it might be. Why take a risk with children and grandchildren?," said Brenda Guyver. "Nobody wants a mast near them, but we all love mobile phones don't we? But wouldn't it be better in the Bourne Woods? It's a danger to children here and an eyesore. "I'm not against them. I use my mobile phone just as much as everyone else does; I just don't want it here." Lizzie Spruce continued: "We think it seems ridiculous to site a mast here in a busy residential area when there is a viable alternative. We should be taking the protective approach with regard to children of this age, and also its location at the centre of a busy residential area. "We've been through this with Orange and this feels like falling on the same old bruises," she lamented. "It's just unacceptable, said Annie Smith. "It feels like we've been bamboozled time and time again by the big companies." And Mrs Boyd added: "We are just hoping that this protest does something. The Bourne Woods site certainly seems the least worst option." With Meridian television reporting the tale, campaign co-ordinator Niki Hearnshaw added: "It's a huge cause for concern and it has been hanging over us since 2001. The bad news for O2 is that there is a new stream of parents and children coming to the school every year, so the campaign has grown. "I do find it strange that O2 removed a mast in Warwickshire earlier this year as it was a cancer hot spot, and cynically try to erect a phone mast here," she added. While school representatives were unable to comment, local MP Jeremy Hunt voiced his concerns over the potential health implications. A seasoned campaigner for tougher planning regulations on legislation surrounding planning applications for mobile phone masts, a "very worried" Mr Hunt said: "Many local residents are rightly concerned about the health implications. "The truth is we simply don't know what the effects could be. We all use mobiles, but it is crazy to take this sort of unnecessary risk with our children's health. Planners and mobile phone operators must take these concerns into account. "Parents are talking about taking their children out of the school, which is a tremendous shame as the school has been awarded Beacon status for its achievements and is an important part of The Bourne community." Meanwhile, after agreeing that it had been looking into sharing a mast with Orange within the Bourne Woods, an O2 spokesman said: "We wanted to go down to the protest and see the people, but nobody told us about it. "We understand exactly what people are saying, and we are happy to talk to people about their fears. "There's a lot of stuff on the internet about how bad masts are, but none of it has been corroborated. We don't see the studies as holding much sway. "We are about servicing the people who have got O2 phones and looking after their networking needs. "We've got a lot of sites that are actually on schools. I was talking to one recently in Enfield. We gave the school a lot of money up front and they were quite happy with the mast," he added.
