PARENTS are warning that they will remove their children from a Winchester primary school if a mobile phone mast is erected on its doorstep.

For the past three years, parents of children at Western Primary School and nearby residents have fought a proposal by phone giant Orange to erect a mast just 150m from the playground in Byron Avenue.

Following a series of appeals, a last ditch challenge has been launched in the High Court by two parents on behalf of their children after the city council gave up the fight.

The number of children who could be withdrawn is set to rocket with many other parents voicing serious concern about the possible health risks. Lorraine Smith, head teacher at Western Primary, said: "I have received six letters from families who, if the mast goes ahead, will definitely consider finding another school to take their children to.

"It is difficult to say what prospective parents might make of it as we have only just started sending out application forms for next year."

For the past two years, Western Primary School, in Browning Drive, has taken on 60 new reception year children. It currently has 397 youngsters on the roll and a maximum of 420 places.

Mrs Smith added: "We don't want to make too much of it and make it seem like there will be a mass exodus from the school. We don't want the children to be frightened by this, these are adult decisions and we don't want to raise their anxiety levels."

"We have some concerns as it's an unknown and we are not sure what impact it is going to have. We have written to Hampshire County Council, the local education authority, for some advice on the best way to proceed and what information we should be giving to parents and prospective parents."

City councillor Ray Love said: "It's bound to affect the school's intake and as the main feeder school for Westgate, it will affect theirs too. If I had a child at the school or one that was due to start year one I would certainly think about sending them to another school.''

A spokesman for the National Radiological Protection Board said: "Nothing has been found scientifically or medically to suggest people living near to a phone mast are at risk."