PARENTS close to a golf course where there are plans to build a mobile phone mast say they are worried about the effect it could have on their children's health.

Mother-of-two Cathy Foster, of Cover Green, Warndon Villages, says she would consider moving home if the mast went up on Tolladine Golf Course.

She and her neighbours are going to raise objections at Worcester City Council's planning meeting.

Mrs Foster, who has two children, aged 10 months and three-and-a-half years, says the proximity of the proposed mast made her fear for the future for them and other children in the area.

"There are just too many uncertainties," she said.

"It's not just the health risk but I'm sure it would devalue the house, too.

"The mast is going to be only about 250 metres from my house and I just don't want my kids to be guinea pigs in this kind of experiment.

"Perhaps there's no conclusive body of evidence at the moment to say what dangers there are but I don't want my kids to be placed in any danger, especially when they are still so young and vulnerable."

As reported in last week's Evening News, Vodafone has applied for permission to build the mast on the course disguised as a fir tree.

"We well understand that people do have concerns about health but all our masts comply with stringent international guidelines," said spokeswoman for Vodafone Jane Frapwell.

"We do want to protect all sectors of the public, whether they are one metre away from the mast or 1,000 metres away.

"These are World Health Organisation guidelines and they say there are no adverse health effects if these guidelines are met."

But Warndon Parish (South) City Councillor Lucy Hodgson said she supported residents' objections.

"The residents from Cover Green are extremely unhappy about the proposed mast for Vodafone on the golf course," she said.

"I am fully backing their campaign and will be objecting to the mast.

"We are getting letters written to the planning department but would like to alert as many people in the surrounding area as possible that this mast is being proposed," she added.