WORRIES about the health implications of allowing a second telephone mast near homes in a village near Worcester persuaded a council planning committee to reject the proposal - even though their officers had recommended its approval.

More than 100 people had signed a petition against the application by mobile phone company Hutchinson 3G UK

to put up a 50ft mast and

compound at Bowling Green Farm, Powick, where there is already one telephone mast.

Others had written to the planning office registering their objections.

They included a resident who spoke about his health fears in the public part of Wednesday night's planning meeting, which took place in Malvern.

District councillor Tom Wells also appealed to council members to reject the application, citing the perceived health risk, especially given the possible cumulative effect of having two masts just over 100 yards from people's houses.

"Just worrying about it can manifest itself in poor physical health," he said.

He also spoke of the impact on the landscape of a proliferation of masts.

"One is more than enough," he said.

"We have no guidance on the new 3G technology and we understand the intensity of the radiation is significantly higher, but there has been no real investigation.

"They say there is no evidence of a health risk, but neither is there any evidence that there is not a health risk."

Malvern Hills planning officers had recommended approval of the plan, but the committee voted by eight votes to three to reject it.