THE manager of a children's nursery in York said she felt helpless in her fight against mobile phone giants because an application to put up a mast near her business looks set to get the go-ahead.

As reported in the Evening Press last week, Allyson Bolland, who runs Jemima's Day Nursery in Hospital Fields Road, Fulford, has objected to plans by T-Mobile to put up a 14.7-metre tall mast in the street because she is worried about the health effects on the children in her care, and those at nearby Little Joe's nursery.

Now a report to City of York councillors states that officers have no objections to the application, despite a number of concerns raised by residents and businesses.

Mrs Bolland, who in 2001 unsuccessfully petitioned against the construction of a mobile phone mast, operated by O2, only metres from her business, said: "It's a fait accompli - it was before I even started objecting to it.

"I've had a letter from T-Mobile, they sent copies of the drawings and a letter that is in effect a health certificate to say there's no health problem.

"I could get 200 parents to sign a petition, but I don't think it would do anything.

"I feel that we are a soft target because we are in an industrial estate."

Mrs Bolland said that legislation should be changed to allow local people to object to mobile phone masts, because local authorities were not allowed to take health fears into account when deciding a planning issue.

T-Mobile is not required to apply for full planning permission because the mast is under 15 metres high, but it does have to gain approval for the siting and design of the mast.

A report to councillors states: "It is considered that the siting of the mast in a predominantly industrial area, viewed in the context of the existing buildings and street furniture, would not be significantly harmful to the surrounding area."

A spokesman for T-Mobile said the mast would support new 3G technology and mast sharing, with the existing O2 mast, was not possible in this case. He said that based on 40 years of research, T-Mobile was confident that its base stations did not present a health risk to any member of the public."

The issue will be discussed by the City of York Council East Area Planning Committee on Thursday at The Guildhall, York.

Updated: 08:54 Monday, December 06, 2004