A MOTHER says she is relieved a phone company has overturned its decision to erect two masts above her children's bedroom.

After three weeks of anguish suffered by Sue Leader, O2 has announced it will not be putting up a second and third generation mast on top of her flat in Westmoreland Road, Beckenham.

Mrs Leader was worried because her sons, Jake and Hugh, aged seven and 13, would have been sleeping within inches of the masts.

She says her sons could have suffered health problems because of this.

The 34-year-old said: "The whole thing has been really upsetting for me and my family, especially my son who is currently preparing for his Sats exams.

"I wouldn't have believed it three weeks ago if I was told O2 would not be putting up the masts. It's a huge relief.

"My family have been overwhelmed with the level of support shown by the community in stopping O2 from doing this."

Residents staged a protest on the roof of Mrs Leader's flat on March 10, when O2 workers arrived to put the masts up.

Later that day a public meeting was also held at St Mary of Nazareth Hall, The Avenue, West Wickham, to raise people's concerns with O2, which has now decided not to go ahead with the masts.

O2 community relations manager Jim Stevenson, who attended the meeting, said: "We have thought about it again and we really don't need to put a mast there.

"The meeting was beneficial to hear what people had to say and we are now looking at another site to build the antennae."

11:45am today

By Samantha Payne

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.582892.0.mum_stops_plan_for_phone_masts.php