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Fury over phone mast OK

Sam Lister
30/12/2002

AN ANTI-mobile phone mast protester has hit out at ward councillors for 'letting down' residents.

Jack Crossfield led the fight to stop a 20m metre mast being installed at Droylsden Cricket Club.

Residents feared the mast, close to Medlock leisure centre, poses a health risk to children.

A petition signed by 370 residents and 24 letters objecting to the plans by Hutchison 3G to put up the mast, which would support three antenna and three satellite dishes, were handed in to the council.

But members of the planning speakers panel unanimously approved the application.

Droylsden East Cllr Jim Middleton, a former committee member at the cricket club, urged people not to worry about the masts.

He said: "A microwave gives off three times the radiation out as this mast will give. A vacuum cleaner gives seven times as much out as this mast will.

"The people are frightened of the word radiation and it's always the same with new technology.

"We do monitor them and people should be told not to worry what it's going to do to them because in my opinion it's not going to do anything."

But Mr Crossfield said Cllr Middleton and the two other ward councillors, Kieran and Susan Quinn, had let the residents down by supporting the application.

He said: "Cllr Warren Bray opened the meeting by saying the councillors were in support of the mast.

"The ward councillors have never been around the area to ask the people how they felt.

"It is just not right, they are supposed to be representing the people of the east ward.

"These councillors don't even live in the area. People round here are incensed, at the next election these councillors will have to stand up and be accountable."