A picturesque village was today the latest battleground in the fight over controversial masts needed for a new police communications system.

Plans for a 15m mast near a school and homes at Bakers Farm, Sidlesham, near Chichester, were thrown out by Chichester District Council a year ago after protests from families and councillors concerned about possible health risks.

But the firm responsible for the new system, MMO2 Airwave, has appealed and a public inquiry will be held in January.

Council officers have said the mast should be allowed, saying the "the benefits to society from the proposed installation should carry more weight than the perceived health concerns of local residents".

The development control committee was meeting to discuss it today.

Campaigners say the entire village is against the plan.

Vivienne Baron, of Church Farm Lane, said: "The Tetra Airwave system has not been proved to be safe. Therefore the precautionary principle should prevail, which means you don't let a thing loose on the public until you have proved it is safe.

"There are perceived health risks and people are up in arms. They are horrified the council could put this forward again."

Mrs Baron and other villagers formed Sidlesham Against Tetra when the mast was first proposed in July last year.

She said: "We all have children and we don't want to put them at risk. Just about the whole of Sidlesham is against the mast."

The application has been opposed by Selsey Parish Council and 18 residents who have raised concerns about health risks.

There are 23 houses and a village school less than a mile away.

MM02 Airwave has to install more than 70 masts for a new radio communications system for Sussex Police.

Those opposed to the masts say Tetra radio signals interfere with the human brain's own signals. Some say they have suffered headaches, nose bleeds and sleeplessness. There are also fears about long-term illnesses, all strongly contested by the company.