THE controversial spread of mobile phone masts across the country faces a crucial challenge in Stockport tonight.

Campaigners have launched two important test cases in the borough, which has become the national battleground on which they hope to defeat the mobile phone giants.

At a crunch town hall meeting tonight, they are asking the council to reverse planning approval given for masts in Davenport and Gatley.

If they win, the government could be forced into a re-think and the siting of thousands of masts could be challenged.

The Campaign for Planning Sanity chose the two masts in Stockport because of the well-organised and vociferous opposition there in the past two years.

Review

Already a band of mums in Gatley has won a judicial review into a controversial council decision to grant One-2-One permission to build a mast in Oakwood Avenue, which would have been near a school.

Orange has ignored council requests to remove another mast in Hazel Grove because it is too tall and the matter will go to a public inquiry in August.

Stockport education authority was the first in the country to ban masts from schools, after publication of the government-commissioned Stewart Inquiry said the lack of scientific research required caution, in particular for children whose brains may be more susceptible to radiation.

A report to councillors has recommended that the latest applications are either thrown out or deferred for further investigation.

They will consider revoking planning consent for a mast at Trinity Gardens, Bramhall Lane, Davenport. A report to councillors says this matter should be dropped because the secretary of state would be ''unlikely'' to support revocation.

Councillors will also consider a second mast, already erected, at council-owned Gatley Hill House on Styal Road, Gatley. A report urges further investigation.

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