Councillor Roy Pennington is sure mobile phone masts are "as safe as can be" (The Argus, August 25).

For someone who sounds so sure, this a rather vague assertion.

Those, like him, who feel their chief task is to allay people's fears, should engage a little more with some of the specific scientific concerns.

A lot of "allaying" went on over lead water pipes, tobacco, asbestos and BSE and we should remember that. It is no good blaming the quality of observational epidemiological studies while not investing the money and effort to carry them out better.

A number of substantial studies, albeit imperfect, give real cause for concern, while there have been no comparable epidemiological studies to indicate there is no cause for concern.

What does "masts are as safe as they can be" now mean?

Under what circumstances? Those of ignorance or those of informed investigation?

-Andy Davidson, Worthing