WARNDON Parish Council members could turn into environmental watchdogs if the cash was found to buy a device to measure mobile phone mast radiation.

David Bailey told Monday's meeting the parish council could spend £1,600 on a field-strength meter to put residents' minds at rest.

But members later decided to ask the city council if they could borrow its measuring equipment and save cash.

Mr Bailey's comments came after clerk Les Bishop told the meeting the decision on the proposed One2One mast on the corner of Dugdale Drive and Woodgreen Drive had been deferred.

Residents last month lobbied the parish council to lodge an objection on the grounds the telecoms mast was "inappropriate".

"No doubt mobile phone companies will come back with alternative locations in due course," said Mr Bailey, who saw the device advertised in a magazine.

"And people are worried about the possible damaging effects of radio waves emanating from them.

"I wonder if it's worth buying a field-strength meter which measures the electro-magnetic field."

Hiring the device out, or lending it to neighbouring parish councils such as St Peter's could offset the £1,600 cost, he said.

"I'm sure in the future many more masts will be requested in the area," Mr Bailey added.

"If we had one of these things, maybe we could take our own measurements and put our minds at rest."

But instead, David Eastwood called for the city council to put up the cash.

"There's a lot of concern about masts," he said. "You only have to look at the papers. We could hire one, but the cost would run into hundreds of pounds."

Clerk Les Bishop said he would ask the city council's environmental services division if the parish council could borrow one.