A HEALTH risk, an eyesore and a council planning failure - these were the concerns raised about phone masts at a conference in Winchester.

Around 50 residents met at the Intech Centre for the first ever Winchester Conference Series event last night.

City resident Karen Barratt, who is leading the campaign against a new Orange mast at Byron Avenue, Fulflood, told the conference she felt let down by the planning process.

"Local authorities are being swamped by the number of mast applications.

"Reports up and down the country show that operators do the minimum when it comes to new masts and flout the law if they can get away with it.

"There's such inconsistency in planning decisions, I often feel tossing a coin would be cheaper and quicker.

"Masts are being put close to schools, offices and homes on a "fingers crossed'' basis. We feel like guinea pigs and it simply will not do.''

She said it was unclear how many new masts would be needed across the UK to support third-generation mobile phones, in addition to the 35,000 masts already built.

"I've heard 10,000, 30,000, 40,000, even 100,000 masts quoted. It's very imprecise. I find it quite amazing they don't know how many they need.''

None of the five major mobile phone networks - Orange, Vodafone, 3, O2 or

T-Mobile - were at the meeting.

Prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for Winchester, George Hollingbery, who chaired the discussion, said the companies had been advised by their legal teams not attend because of the ongoing Byron Avenue inquiry.

Winchester-based scientist Dr Paul Dawkins explained the views of the mobile phone companies in respect of his 30 years dealing with telecoms.

"They feel - and there must be some justification for this after spending £22.5bn on third-generation licences - that they should be allowed to build their networks. The vast majority of base stations that are proposed are built with no controversy.''

Concerns were expressed about the health risks posed through masts by Dr Gerald Hyland, an expert on biophoton research.

He described the relationship between the government and mobile phone companies as "incestuous'', and said councils were not forced to grant planning permission for masts.

"Some councils feel they have no choice. This is simply not true, as it would violate the Human Rights Act.''

Many of Dr Hyland's concerns were rejected by Dr Michael Clark of the National Radiological Protection Board.

"Where there is a risk we'd have to say something, it's in our Act of Parliament!"