Mast blow for brain-op man (From Stroud News and Journal)

Mast blow for brain-op man

THE wife of a Stonehouse man recovering from a near-fatal brain injury fears his fight back to health could be hampered by a proposed 3G mast just yards from their home.

Adrian Phipps, 37, spent four months in hospital after he was struck by a sudden brain haemorrhage in March 2004 and is still gradually recovering his mobility and speech.

Now, despite assurances from mast operators Hutchison 3G, his wife Annette fears for his safety and that of their 20-month-old son if the antenna goes up at the Oldends Lane site.

"The prospect fills us with dread," she said. "This is a terrible blow to us. I am lucky to still have a husband. I do not want his brain to be pickled by years and years of waves.

"He really feels very angry and very frightened that his progress might be limited. It is unbelievable that a mast can be erected with total disregard for other people."

Parents at the nearby Shrubberies special school have already threatened to withdraw their pupils if the mast is given the go-ahead, citing health fears. Head Jane Jones said:

"It is a huge concern. One parent is very serious about it and another said she would be considering it. "We are hoping that 3G will find another site that is less sensitive."

The concerns come in the wake of a report by Sir William Stewart, the government's chief advisor on mobile phone safety, which called for a ban on placing masts near schools and more research into the possible health effects.

But due to government planning law Stroud District Council is almost powerless to stop the mast and it looks likely to be given the thumbs-up by Ebley Mill by early February.

Hutchison spokesman Mike Dobson assured residents there was no evidence to show that masts damaged people's health and pointed out that the Stewart report also stated there was no proven link.

"We put health and safety very much at the top of the agenda," he told the SNJ. "We do make sure all our base stations comply with the guidelines set down by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation.

"We have looked hard at any possible alternatives but we have got to find a site that not only works from a technological point of view but also blends in with the environment. We could not find anything else that would be acceptable."