Ken's heart fears over new phone mast

A heart patient fears a mobile phone mast due to go up just metres from his Lincoln home will harm his health.

Ken Marsh, who wears a pacemaker, says he will continue to fight plans for the mast following a two-year wrangle.

In 2006 he wrote to Lincoln City Council objecting to proposals for the 12-metre high mast in Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln.

But a "legal loophole" now means that company Vodafone can go ahead.

Mr Marsh (71) fears that emissions from the mast will interfere with his pacemaker or cause other health problems, such as cancer.

"Until someone comes up with some evidence to prove otherwise I will continue to worry that it will upset the settings on my pacemaker," said the retired engineer of Malham Drive, around 25 metres from the mast site.

The council had refused permission for the mast to go up on the Skellingthorpe Road junction with Farrington Crescent, but it failed to issue a 'refusal notice' to Vodafone, meaning it can still go ahead.

On Wednesday this week the authority's planning committee will be asked if it wants to ask the Government to force Vodafone to abandon its plans.

In a report to councillors, planning officers say the Government is unlikely to agree.

Vodafone spokesman Aileen Thompson said the company has published research on its website which showed that mobile phone technology, if used within certain thresholds, is safe.

For more on the phone mast story, plus views on whether they are a danger to health, see Monday's Echo.