SO NOW we know. The secret is finally out. Very few of us realised when we went to fill up our cars at certain petrol stations that we were running the gauntlet of radiation from our mobile phone masts.

Shell and Texaco weren't just splashing out on large pricing pillars for the benefit of customers-- they were hiding mobile phone masts inside.

So much for the mounting concern nationally, particularly among families with young children, of the possible dangers of the burgeoning numbers of such masts.

Despoiling our beautiful countryside with these spider-like monsters is one thing but sneaking them under our noses disguised as something else smacks of an intention to deceive.

Quite rightly, anti-mast campaigners have been outraged. But it is even more incredible what this discovery has exposed.

Firstly there is, apparently, a detailed map of the country on, I believe, a government website which gives the location of every single phone mast. Researchers were astounded to find locations along our high streets and in our town centres where no masts are visible. Some maps showed three or four centres where none was apparently visible.

Then the truth starts to come out. Some were masquerading as burglar alarms. Some as ordinary electrical black boxes. Some as electrical sockets for lights and signs. Some were even hidden behind street signs!

And, after powerful opposition by some parent groups against money-making masts on school roofs or playgrounds, it now appears that the Church of England has done a deal with mobile phone companies to allow masts to be sited on churches, in towers and steeples all over the country.

It can only be hoped that at some time it is not discovered that, while saving a few souls, the church was not unintentionally scrambling people's brains.

It may well be that people have no concern about risks. Many might welcome masts disguised or secreted so that they do not visually offend.

But I do think people have a right to know where these transmitters are so that they can be avoided if that is a parental choice. It is wrong that people, particularly children, should be unwittingly exposed to something which in the future might be declared a danger.

I think people are right to be sceptical about government statements that tests so far have concluded no risk to humans from these powerful transmitters. There is certainly concern about the particular breed of communicator used by the police themselves.

One thing is certain. These masts are not going to get any fewer. And with a whole new range of bigger and more powerful masts needed to serve the next generation of T3 mobiles, there is a need for anti-mast groups to be more vigilant than ever, for local authorities to be given more planning powers to control their location -- and for us all to be told in advance where these masts are to be situated.