Biologist Roger Coghill, who believes cellular phones are dangerous, says the South West Gwent Magistrates Court will hear his private criminal action on September 2.

Mr Coghill, who runs an independent radiation laboratory at Pontypool in Wales, says the mobile phone is the biggest domestic appliance source of radiation ever invented. He wants the phones to carry a warning that more than 20 minutes of continuous use may damage health.

His action is being taken against a local telephone store. His test case will try to establish a breach of consumer protection laws.

Effect on the brain

There is growing concern that the radiation emitted by mobile phones may be dangerous and Mr Coghill is calling for manufacturers to take up a more responsible attitude.

But the phone companies say the current regulations are sufficient to protect the public.

Nevertheless, the issue continues to stay in the spotlight. Only last week, it was reported that military scientists at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency had done research which suggested that mobile phone signals could disrupt the part of the brain that controls memory and learning.

Other studies have suggested that mobiles - used by nine million people across Britain - can cause a rise in blood pressure and may harm pregnant women.

However, Britain's National Radiological Protection Board, charged with regulating mobile phone use, says none of the research is conclusive.