A SANKEY school is leading the fight against a T-Mobile phone mast.

The mast is planned for land next to a footbridge over the A57 Sankey Way, near Sycamore Lane.

Clare Earps, the chairman of governors at Sycamore Lane Primary School, has sent a letter of objection to all the schools' parents. She said: "The school has not been consulted in the pre-application consultation, as is the required practice.

"On viewing the plans, I was astonished to see that the school that was written was St Elphin's. An oversight by T-Mobile or a clever way to avoid objections - I am very sceptical."

The Government has told planning committees that phone masts cannot be objected to on health grounds.

However, some local council's have rejected the masts on health grounds running the risk of losing appeals and paying up costs, by accepting the precautionary principle' over planning effects on residents' health.

Clare Earps has urged parents to object on grounds that include the precautionary principle, the intrusive and unsightly nature of the mast and the apparent lack of consultation.

The last mast applied for in the area was passed with little fuss, despite an objection from a Penketh councillor.

It was in a relatively isolated location on Widnes Road towards Fiddler's Ferry.

The application before that, on a site near a children's play area off the same road, was turned down.

The planning committee went against officer's advice on the basis of how it would look.

A T-Mobile spokesman said: "There was a postcode error over the consultation plan which was corrected as soon as possible.

The spokesman added: "World Health Organisation experts have concluded that, due to the low powered nature of mobile phone masts, that providing they are under the international guidelines, there is no evidence of harm to human health."