DESPERATE parents in Heaton Mersey are offering to hand over £5,000 to a church - but only if it throws out controversial plans to house a mobile phone mast.

St John the Baptist, on St John’s Road, stands to make £5,000 from communications giant T-Mobile if plans to site a mast in the church tower go ahead.

However, local residents, who say they fear for the safety of their children and those at neighbouring schools, mounted a campaign last year to halt the plan and are now so desperate they have offered to club together to avoid the controversial plan going ahead.

Lynda and Greg Lacey have even pledged £1,200 a year if the mast is refused and the church has no other way of raising funds - because they are worried about the health of their children who attend St John’s Primary School.

Lynda said: “There are a few people who have said they would be happy to set up a direct debit if the mast was refused.

“The church should look at the wellbeing of people in the community.”

However, Rev Marcus Maxwell, vicar of St John’s, said he would not accept money until a decision has been made.

He said: “While we are still convinced that there is no health hazard, there are some people who are worried and frightened. We are not in the business of worrying and upsetting people.

“If our neighbours want to support us financially because they value the parish church that is great but we don’t want to be seen to be being bought out.”

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/index/articles/article_id=17563.html


From Mast Network