FEARS for the health of people in Crediton has prompted over 1,000 residents to put their names to petitions opposing the latest application for another mobile phone mast.

There are already seven masts in the town, and now Orange has applied to Mid Devon District Council for permission to site another mast at Stonewall Lane, Pounds Hill.

The move has prompted residents group Crediton Against Masts to speak out against the plans.

Last Wednesday (January 7), town and district LibDem councillors Nick Way and David Nation, representing the residents group, presented two petitions with over 2,780 signatures to a general council meeting.

The first - containing 1,244 names - calls for the council to reject applications for masts in locations which cause fear on the grounds of possible health risks and asks the council to do all that they can to remove existing masts which spark the same concerns.

A total of 1,537 objections to the Stonewall Lane mast application are registered in the second petition, relating to the visual impact of the mast and the possible health risks.

The application is due to be heard by the district council's planning committee on February 11 and debated by the Crediton Town Council on February 20. Cllr Way told The Star that he wanted the petition to be mentioned in the planning officers' report which will be presented on February 11 and for objections to the plans to be no-ted. The science world is split over the health issues associated with Telecommunications Ma-sts. That's what concerns most people," said Cllr Way.

"There is also a belief that the so-called precautionary approach adopted by the government to these planning applications are not precautionary enough to guarantee that masts do not present any risks to health."

Orange already have two masts in Crediton, and last year their application to put one near Barnfield was turned down.

Cllr Way added: "They seem unable to accept that residents are not prepared to have masts close to their homes.

"Local families are uniting in opposition to any more masts in the town." In a statement Orange said: "Orange is proposing to install a telecommunications installation at a site along Stonewall Lane, Pounds Hill, Crediton.

"This decision has been taken following extensive consultation with local residents, councillors and both the town and district council."We believe that the installation will improve the service to our customers within Crediton and the surrounding area and importantly, it would be better screened from a visual point of view."Testing of the Stonewall Lane site indicated that the coverage and service would be improved.

"Local councillors had also requested similar testing to be undertaken at a location within Down's Head. Results showed that an installation would be more visually intrusive and the level of service would beunsatisfactory."A key issue has been the potential health and safety issues associated with mobile telecommunications equipment.

"Orange can confirm that all our sites are designed and built to be fully compliant with the stringent international health and safety guidelines.

"The proposed installation at Stonewall Lane would be operating at many times below the guidelines.