LOCAL authorities should try and avoid mobile phone masts being erected near to schools and housing estates in a bid to ease people's fears, a report has urged.

But the specially-commissioned report for Lancashire County Council also stressed that people should not be afraid of using mobile phones or living near to mobile masts.

Councillors urged council leader Coun Hazel Harding to write to schools asking them to 'fly with the angels' and not take any risks which could harm children.

County Coun David Whipp said: "We should set a precedent by not allowing them on county council buildings, and suggest the same to schools.

"Although there is no definite evidence yet, we do not know what might happen in the future."

Coun Harding said: "Schools do their own thing, and there is little point in us telling them what to do."

The report was compiled by Radiation Monitoring in Lancashire (RADMIL), a council funded organisation based in Preston and set up to study the affects of radiation on Lancashire following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

It confirmed that links between non-ionising radiation, the sort emitted in low doses from mobile phone handsets, and cancer were speculative at best.The report was based on various studies carried out around the world, as well as local tests.

But the report accepted that councillors needed to do all they could to allay public concern by trying not to site masts near schools or large housing estates.

Where that is not possible, the report said every effort should be made to make sure schools were not crossed by the beams from the dishes on mobile masts.

A spokesman for RADMIL said: "We, along with the World Health Organisations and other international agencies, have found no persuasive evidence to link any radiation with cancer.

"The many studies published which do establish links are questionable to say the least.

"We would put forward no objection to the continued siting of mobile phone masts within school grounds as long as the established guidelines on physical barriers are maintained."

In a report to councillors, environment officer Mike Ainscough said: "Given the benefits to mankind of electricity and the freedom brought by the use of mobile phones, it is inconceivable that the general public would wish to give up either should any small risk be proved by future research.

"Local authorities have a role to play in both health education and the use of prudent avoidance techniques with the planning process when considering siting of mobile phone base stations."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "There is no evidence that mobile phone masts and mobile phones cause damage.

"I welcome that but still think it won't reassure people concerned about the siting of a mast on or near a school."

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said: "There is no evidence that mobiler phones or masts cause problems.

"This was the conclusion of The Stewart Report and this latest report seems to confirm that.

"I have a mobile phone and live near a phone mast. Some 45 million in the country have a mobile and many more are sold all over the world.

"If there had been problems they would have shown up. It is a matter for local councils to use sensitive judgement on siting of masts.

"The Stewart report also warned young children should not use mobile phones regularly and would advise people to follow that.

Greg Pope, Hyndburn MP added: "I fully understand the concerns of people on places like Haslingden Old Road who objected to having one near their homes. I supported their protest and tried and failed to get it moved. "