A DOCTOR has claimed wi-fi and mobile phone signals could put people at risk of infertility, tumours, cancer and dementia.

Steyning grandmother Stefanie Russell this week told The Argus she suffered nausea and headaches when she came into contact with mobile phone and wi-fi signals.

The 72-year-old went to extremes to protect her health by forking out nearly £4,000 on paint to stop the frequency of signals seeping into her home.

Dr Liz Evans, who works in Lindfield, near Haywards Heath, and treats Mrs Russell for her symptoms, said microwave radiation emanates from baby monitors and cordless landline phones, as well as computers and mobiles.

The former GP set up her own alternative healthcare practice and claims a number of her patients have electrosensitivity.

She said: “Three to five per cent of people are severely affected by this and 30% suffer mildly.

“More than 5,000 published studies show the harm the signals cause.”

She said the BioInitiative report published in 2012 was prepared by 29 independent scientists and analysed 1,800 studies on wireless radiation and health since 2007.

She claims the long-term overexposure to signals could even lead to autism and advises patients to install an ethernet connection if they need to use the computer, and block out signals in their bedroom as much as possible – avoiding sleeping near a mobile phone.

She said: “The body has time to regenerate and replenish when you sleep, building up a defence against the signals. Your bedroom is usually free of signals but some homes need extra protection. Hanging a sleeping net over your bed can help.”

She claimed that the risks were not taught in medical school which leaves doctors ill-qualified to diagnose patients and she thinks the importance of technology in the economy means health fears are being swept under the carpet.

Some countries have banned wi-fi in schools and Brighton-based supporters of the Safe Schools Information Technology Alliance claimed the use of tablets as classroom aides were putting children at risk of exposure.

Public Health England said it was aware of reports of the symptoms.

But a spokesman said: “The overall scientific evidence does not support the suggestion such exposure causes acute symptoms or that some people are able to detect radiofrequency fields. Nevertheless, effective treatments need to be found for these symptoms.”