Angry mothers today threatened to quit their village if controversial plans to install a mobile phone mast in the church spire go ahead.

The warning came as around 25 protesters armed with banners confronted planners outside the Church of the Holy Evangelist in Shipton-by-Beningbrough.

The silent protest was the villagers' last chance to show members of Hambleton District Council's Planning Committee exactly how strongly they feel before Thursday's decision on the mast.

Some young families are so concerned about what they see as the potential health risks of the Vodafone mast that they have threatened to move away if planning permission is granted.

Lorraine Frankland, who lives in East Lane said: "We only moved here in October but we have such worries about this that we are not prepared to stay if it goes up. People don't understand the risks and we are not prepared to take the chance with our two young children." Her children, Ebony, aged three, and Tyler, aged four, were among the protesters.

The controversial application has split the village and is causing stress to many mothers.

At a meeting held in the church last week some concerned parents were reduced to tears, so afraid were they for their children.

Maureen Chapman is among those who have threatened to leave.

"I've lived here all my life, we don't want to leave, but if this thing goes up then what choice do we have?" she said.

"It is terrible that this is happening, it has caused such trouble in the village, we hope that it can be resolved as soon as possible."

The protesters, ranging from pensioners to toddlers, held up a range of banners as the councillors arrived for their official site visit at the church.

They greeted the councillors, but did not try to start a debate as they arrived.

Members of the committee went inside the building to gather information for their decision. As they left, a spokeswoman for the group said: "They obviously feel very strongly about this."

A spokesman for Vodafone said: "We have talked to protesters and I've asked them for a shopping list of questions and I will arrange if need be for a specialist on health and safety matters to come and talk with them."

He added that he could not guarantee that the Vodafone equipment would not present a health risk.

Nobody from the church itself was available for comment.

* Nearly half of all children aged between seven and 16 own mobile phones, text messaging their friends rather than keeping them for emergencies, a new report revealed today.

The survey, carried out by the NOP Research Group, questioned 1,014 seven to 16-year-olds and their parents, asking not only about phones but their text messaging habits.

Updated: 11:32 Monday, January 29, 2001