One issue that has never been satisfactorily resolved is whether people living near telecommunication masts face higher health risks.

Telecom companies argue there is no evidence to suggest a link between masts and cancer and that they operate under Government guidelines.

But it has not been established beyond doubt that there is no such risk. While that is the case, suspicions will remain.

Residents in north Oxford are right to raise fears about a second mast proposed near their homes. They say five people living near the first mast have developed cancer.

This may, of course, be a coincidence, but the residents' concerns are real and must be thoroughly investigated.

Meanwhile, pressure should be put on the telecom companies to defer plans for a second mast until the process has been completed.