A MOBILE phone mast will be installed inside an historic York church - despite health fears being voiced by residents.

Council planners have given the go-ahead for T-Mobile to put three antennae inside the tower of St Laurence's Church, one of the city's most distinctive spires.

The church was saved from demolition in 2003 thanks to a £300,000 revamp backed by English Heritage.

How much the church will receive from the mobile phone deal has not been disclosed, but officials there have said it will be an important source of income for the building, dubbed the "Minster outside the city walls".

But Larry Taylor, speaking on behalf of local residents at a planning meeting, said the phone proposals posed a health risk within a localised area of 200 metres.

Planning officers received nearly 40 letters of complaint from residents in the Barbican Mews area. Objections were also raised on religious grounds, saying the Grade II Listed Building in Lawrence Street was an unsuitable site.

Some said the technology would detract from the historical character of the church.

But City of York Council's planning and transport east area sub-committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of the mast and said it would be well hidden from view. Two equipment cabinets will also be placed in the church grounds.

Coun Charles Hall said: "I think it's far better to have it in a structure like that rather than on the side of a road where it could be an eyesore."

Coun Ken King, Labour, said: "I couldn't think of a better place to put one than inside a tower, out of sight."

Speaking after the planning decision, Barbican Mews residents said they felt "powerless".

Laura Orr, 25, said: "The church is getting paid a lot of money and it does need to be looked after but, from a health perspective, I'm not sure if it's safe or not.

"No matter what we tried to do, it was going to go up."

Tony Wilson, 50, said: "It feels like the residents are powerless in decisions like this. We knew all along this would be the outcome."

T-Mobile plans to put the antennae 20 metres above ground on the north, west and south sides of the church tower to increase mobile coverage, as well as to boost 3G services.

A spokesman said the company was confident its base stations, operating within "strict national and international guidelines recognised by the World Health Organisation", did not present a health risk to any member of the public.

Installing the antennae inside the church spire met government guidelines on reducing visual impact, he said.

Updated: 10:47 Tuesday, April 19, 2005