Mobile phone mast protesters from across the country have met Leicestershire campaigners to plan a national rally.

Campaigners from about 20 groups have been in contact with Melton's Grange Drive campaigners, who have been living in a caravan for 18 months in a bid to stop a mast going up on their estate.

The Melton protesters, who stood their ground when Vodafone arrived to install a mast in February, set up a website earlier this year.

Since then, they have been contacted by groups across the country – and one in New Zealand – fighting phone mast applications near their homes and schools.

At the weekend, representatives from seven groups met Melton protesters in Upper Broughton to plan a nationwide petition, march and rally next year.

Melton protester Sandra Rickell said: "There are genuine concerns about the proliferation of phone masts across the UK and the health risks, and how people's rights are being undermined by unfair and outdated planning laws.

"We all agreed a march in London, presenting a petition to Downing Street and ending with a rally in Hyde Park would be the way to get the issue back in the spotlight and put pressure on the Government to tighten up laws.

"The Government will only listen if we are in our thousands and, judging by the number of mast protests around the country, that shouldn't be a problem."

The campaigners hope joining forces will strengthen their calls for planning laws to be revised and for people to have more say in where masts are sited.

Jayne Papworth, who travelled from Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough, to take part in the meeting, said: "There are two phone masts near us, one owned by O2and the other by Vodafone, only 200 metres apart.

"They've both got applications in which would double the power and output of both masts, which are near schools and houses.

"If people across the country don't take action, nothing will happen."

Lindy Lane, of Cheadle, Staffordshire, said: "We are protesting about Vodafone wanting to put up a mast near houses.

"Our council turned the application down, but the firm is fighting it.

"We've not gone to the lengths of living in a caravan – yet.

"We want to form a cohesive unit to do something about it on a national basis."

A spokesman for the Mobile Operators' Association said: "There are no established adverse health effects from radio wave exposure from mobile phone base stations operating within the guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

"Mobile phone base stations in the UK operate at small fractions of these guidelines."

Vodafone left the Melton site following a 24-hour stand-off with campaigners in February, vowing to return.

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