RESIDENTS who battled against plans for a second transmitter mast near their homes and won are prepared to do battle again following a new application by NTL.

Members of SPAM (Strong Protest Against Masts) are concerned about the proposals for two antennae at 27.5 metres high and 28.5 metres and two replacement TV trough antennae at 23 metres on the existing Pendle Forest Transmitter Station in Spenbrook Road, Newchurch-in-Pendle.

Despite asking the council's planning department a week ago what the antennas would be used for, spokesperson Claire Milligan said she was still none the wiser and had received no response.

She said: "We're just waiting for a reply to find out what these antennas are, but the council haven't even acknowledged that they have got my letter.

"If these are just basic aerials we may not have an objection, as there are already about 20 aerials on the mast, but our main concern is if it will be a Tetra mast, which has the airwaves used by police radios.

"It was Tetra we were worried about when we campaigned against the second mast, because they are dangerous. Tetra runs at the same frequency as your brain at something like 16 times a second and the brain can't distinguish the signal. It breaks down the calcium levels in your brain and causes diseases like Alzheimer's.

"The reason NTL were applying for a second mast was because there was no room on the Pendle Forest mast but now it is has been turned down there's suddenly room on the original one again. We are worried that this application could be another way of getting round things to get Tetra on it. If it is Tetra we will go berserk and it will be all out campaigning again. We will be strongly objecting against it."

A spokesman for the council's planning department said: "I have been away on holiday and have a stack of mail to get through. If Mrs Milligan has asked me questions about this I will be responding to her.

"As I understand it Tetra is not part of this. There will be two aerials for the mobile phones and two TV receivers which do not transmit and will be replacing existing larger antennas so in terms of visual impact it would be less.

"But the council is seeking guidance from a consultant who we use in these matters to ask him to vet the information given to us by the applicant."

SPAM collected more than 250 signatures from local residents during their last protest against the second transmitter on the site of the Pendle Forest Transmitter.

Nobody at NTL was available for comment.