A PHONE mast planned just metres from a Penarth nursery school will not be constructed after a petition from parents and neighbours.

The 15-metre phone mast, feared by some to cause increased cancer risks for children, was set to go behind Bute Cottage Nursery and houses on Grove Terrace and Place.

However, after the intervention of furious residents who compiled a 200-strong petition and civic leaders, BT Cellnet decided not to go ahead with it.

The decision followed a site meeting with a BT Cellnet representative, the headteacher of the nursery, Lorraine Barrett AM, Penarth town councillor John Birch, plus residents and parents who had signed petitions.

Grove Terrace resident Pauline Martin said: "I'm relieved. What people don't realise is that our properties wouldn't be worth anything near what they were, down 25-50 percent.

She added: "They only sent letters about the proposals to 12 houses on Grove Terrace, so I sent out 200 letters for people to sign as most people didn't have a clue.

"If people hadn't signed them, we would have been sat on piles of bricks."

Lorraine Barrett said: "This is a victory for residents and parents of the school, not of course forgetting the children of Bute Cottage whose lives could possibly be affected by the mast.

"It's about time that mobile operators got together and shared masts. This would considerably reduce the possible potential health risks and number of eyesores that are present in the community."

Cllr John Birch said: " I share the concerns of the AM and would like to share with you that there was unanimous support amongst Labour councillors in voicing their opposition to this telephone mast. "I congratulate BT for their change of heart."