ANGRY Bewdley residents have joined forces in a bid to halt plans to extend an existing mobile phone mast amid fears it will ruin their health.

A 12.5-metre mast owned by Orange, which residents had previously objected to, currently stands on land next to The Racks.

Householders in Hilda Peers Way, whose properties overlook the mast, have come together to form an action group, Campaign Against Racks Mast Association - CARMA - to stop the extension plans.

The application, submitted by OPCS Ltd, is to extend the telecommunication mast for an 18-metre cypress tree mast and additional equipment cabinets.

Resident, Nicola Cadwallader, 38, who has a 10-month-old son, said she was concerned about what the extended mast would do to his health.

She said: "There's going to be more receptors on the mast if it is extended. I'm worried about the impact and the health implications of that.

"I have been researching it on the internet and children are most at risk from the masts because their nervous systems are still developing."

"We're really hoping we can get it overturned because we are worried about it.

"My house is on the market and someone pulled out of buying it because they found out the mast was there."

She added: "We tried to stop it being built in the first place because it's in a built-up area and we certainly don't want it to be extended. The visual impact is also a worry because I can see it from my house."

The group has organised a petition against the plans and have so far collected 150 signatures.

Martin Grey, national government and community relations manager, for Orange, said: "Since 1996, Orange has provided mobile network coverage to the local community via a radio base station on 60 The Racks, Bewdley.

"Following national planning policy encouraging the sharing of existing sites, 02 has applied to Orange to share a redeveloped radio location."

In relation to concerns regarding health, Mr Grey added: "The science on this issue is reassuring. There have now been over 30 independent expert review reports published during the past six years, including two by the UK Health Protection Agency.

"In addition, Ofcom has undertaken more than 500 independent audits of base stations across the length and breadth of the UK.

"The measurements from these audits show that emissions levels from base stations are typically small fractions of the stringent international guidelines."

People can sign the petition against the mast by e-mailing swaffieldhelen@yahoo.co.uk