ANGRY residents have raised fears for children's health after planning permission was given for a 33ft mobile phone mast close to a housing estate.

Fifty letters and a petition signed by 84 people opposing the Warndon Villages plan could not prevent Worcester City Council approving the O2 aerial in Woodgreen Drive, opposite Dugdale Drive.

David Jones, of Pitt Avenue, told the planning committee yesterday that he was worried about youngsters, who he said absorbed more radiation from masts than adults.

"Despite the former chief scientific adviser to the Govern-ment saying schools shouldn't be exposed to the radiation from masts, children will now be just as exposed outside school," he said after seeing councillors backing the scheme by seven votes to three.

"We don't have an understanding of the consequences and that's not a responsible way to place a mast."

Stephen Hatton, of Nightingale Avenue, added: "It's an exceptionally disappointing result and they didn't listen to the residents.

"There are other sites they could have looked at and this has opened the floodgates for other operators to start putting masts up around Warndon Villages."

Principal planning officer Paul O'Connor had told councillors that there was 'not a great deal of difference' between this application and one approved for the same site, about 54 yards from the nearest house, in December.

He added that the latest advice showed there was no hard evidence of adverse health affects but Coun David Tibbutt, a medical doctor, said people had lost faith in advice.

"Using a mobile phone probably carries more risk than the mast but that's up to the individual whereas you have no choice about living next to a mast," he said.

"We should take notice of what local people say until we are absolutely certain about the health issues."