AN Oakenshaw women is urging residents to demand more information about potential health risks generated by the increasing number of mobile phone masts in the town.

Denette France is concerned about the abundance of phone masts springing up across Redditch - particularly the latest 3G and Tetra equipment, which have already been banned in America, Holland and Sweden.

Referring to research from the Government's Stewart Inquiry, she said: "Given this technology has not received a safety certificate and the Stewart Report calls for research into the possible harmful effects on health, I am astounded that more are going up."

Redditch Council has recently received applications to install further phone equipment in various locations across the town.

Mrs France, of Towbury Close, claims Britain has some of the least stringent regulations regarding acceptable levels of phone mast emissions.

She said: "Professor Stewart, chairman of the official investigation four years ago, asked the question 'Are masts a danger to health?'

"The answer was 'probably not.'

"However, the small print within the report acknowledged it is impossible to assess the long-term health consequences of mobile phone technology after just a few years of experience. And health effects are already showing up.

"I am urging people to lobby their local councillors to stop so many of these phone masts going up in Redditch - especially as we do not know what the long-term side effects are," she added.