Foil protects against mobile mast

Foil protects against mobile mast

Mr Brookes decks his walls with foil

A man thinks mobile phone masts are such a serious health risk that he has devised his own protection - aluminium foil.

Alan Brookes has wallpapered his bedroom with foil to protect him from what he believes are harmful emissions from a mast 15 metres from his house in Kensworth, near Luton, Bedfordshire.

Orange, which owns the mast, says the installation is low-powered and that there is no conclusive evidence of health risks, but Mr Brookes claims it has given him mouth ulcers, nausea, and headaches.

Ingrid Dickinson, the director of scientific studies at lobby group Mast Sanity said that she has heard of people taking desperate measures because they believe masts make them ill.

She said: "Very often people who live near masts have the very same symptoms.

Unusual method

"Are all these people psychotics? I don't think so."

Mr Brookes admitted his method of protecting himself was unusual and had become a topic of conversation in his village.

But some of his neighbours told BBC Look East they also believed more studies should be done on the possible effects of the masts.

Mr Brookes said that until something was done he would continue to use the aluminium foil as a shield.

"I'm not really happy about it. Why should I have to do it?" he said.