Villagers are intending to turn up unannounced at a church council meeting to speak against plans to put a mobile phone mast in their church spire.

Mothers of children attending the playgroup at Shipton-by-Beningbrough, have been invited to tonight's parochial church council meeting at the Church of the Holy Evangelist, but other villagers have found out about it and will also attend.

The playgroup, meets in the community centre opposite the church, and parents fear pulsed microwave radiation beams emitted from mobile phone masts could affect their children's health.

Mobile phone company Vodafone has applied to install the mast and a Hambleton District Council planning committee is due to make a decision on February 1.

The church has, until now, welcomed the offer as it would pay maintenance and running costs.

Gareth Skirrow, who has two children under two and lives near the church, said: "I had a few concerns that they only wanted the mums to go, not any of the others.

"I'm going to go this evening because it's such a major concern to the village. We've been trying to set up a meeting with the parochial church council and they wouldn't let us have one, then at the 11th hour, they arranged one, but said it would be mothers only."

Updated: 11:33 Thursday, January 25, 2001