MP Tim Loughton has thrown his weight behind the battle to ban mobile phone masts from council-owned land.

The Conservative member for East Worthing and Shoreham is among a growing number of politicians calling for restrictions.

He has written to Adur District Council asking it to throw out an application to build a new mast at Lancing Manor leisure centre and is concerned about others planned across the Worthing and Adur areas.

The council's leisure committee postponed a decision on the mast on Tuesday while it reviews its policy.

West Sussex, Brighton and Hove and Hastings councils have already banned masts from their own land, but planning bodies cannot legally ban them as a whole because of planning regulations.

Mr Loughton said: "Many of my constituents have expressed serious concerns about the health risks associated with mobile phone masts.

"I have already written to the councils to ask them to follow the lead of Kent County Council and ban all mobile phone masts from council-owned land.

"It is clear that yet another mast at Lancing Manor, this time a 20-metre-high monster, is not acceptable."

A spokesman for Adur District Council said: "The council has decided it needs to have a policy on masts on its own land and the decision on Lancing Manor has been deferred."