Oxfordshire scientists will carry out research and provide the back-up for a £7.4m investigation into the health risks of using mobile phones.

The study will concentrate on the effects of mobiles on the health and behaviour of people, following concerns that they can cause brain cancer.

The national research programme will be jointly funded by the Government and the mobile phone industry, and managed by an international committee of experts led by former Government chief scientific adviser Sir William Stewart.

The committee includes Prof Colin Blakemore, of Oxford University, and Dr Alastair McKinlay and Dr Zenon Sienkiewicz, both scientists at the National Radiological Protection Board near Didcot.

So far, the Government has announced 15 projects, to receive funding totalling £4.5m.

NRPB spokesman Dr Michael Clark said: "Our scientists will also be directly involved in carrying out two of the research studies -- into how radiofrequency radiation can affect the brain and the behaviour of people, and how much energy is absorbed in the head from police mobile phones."

The study into the effects of radiofrequency radiation on the brain will be undertaken in conjunction with Bristol University and Porton Down Research Centre, Wiltshire.

Sir William said that for ethical reasons none of the studies would include tests on children, who are thought to be more at risk.

He repeated advice that youngsters should not use cellphones for too long or too often, and added that text messaging -- which is especially popular with children -- might be safer.