TV star Jasper slams masts as "criminal" (From Stourbridge News)

TV star Jasper slams masts as "criminal"

4:55pm Tuesday 12th August 2008

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TV celebrity Jasper Carrott branded a controversial phone mast site in Kingswinford “criminal” after viewing the eyesore for himself.

The comedian called at the High Acres estate to lend his voice to a campaign calling for a water tower which is home to 18 antennae to be pulled down amid health fears.

The Birmingham based star met protestors at the foot of the tower and delivered a devastating attack on authorities, who he says allow sites to grow unchecked while collecting billions of pounds in revenue from phone companies.

Jasper said: “I can’t believe people are allowed to do this, it is putting wealth before health.

“It is the same as smoking, thalidomide and asbestos, things that were put forward as safe.

“It took 60 years to bring in legislation banning smoking in public, tobacco companies are still refusing to accept the link between smoking and cancer, its nonsense.

“I don’t want to find out in 60 years time masts are causing cancer.”

“I would be worried about my health if I lived round here, it is frightening.”

At the mast site Jasper, an experienced mast campaigner, used an EMF detector to demonstrate the level of radiation in the area.

He also paid tribute to the “honest and hard working” people fighting to rid the community of the masts and told them to demand action from politicians.

Jasper said: “We have got to be strong, don’t give up, they will bring it down if you put pressure on them.

“Muster every ounce of support, councillors have to be elected, if they are not doing their job don’t vote for them, it is the same for the MP.

“What you are doing is terrific but you are up against a government that doesn’t care and you have got to stand up and get it done.”

The mast site recently hit the headlines after watchdogs Ofcom recorded higher levels of radiation in the area than any other English site surveyed in 2008.

Although the findings fell well short of UK safety guidelines, Jasper says UK limits allow higher emissions than many other countries.

Jasper said: “We are way below safety levels imposed by countries like China and Russia, which are not famous for charity to their people.”

Among the people gathered to hear Jasper speak on Tuesday August 12 was High Acres pharmasist Vijay Lad.

Mr Lad said: “There is definitely a link between peoples' illness and the mast, the subject is always being talked about.

“My job is promote healthy living, I would support this campaign.”

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