YOU see them everywhere these days.

On trains, in the street, even driving cars, people seem to have gone mad for mobile phones.

But from his home near Shoreham Airport, Simon Best is asking some awkward questions of one of the world's fastest growing communication markets.

On Monday he took part in a Panorama documentary on cellular phone use, in which leading scientists described its potential effect on public health.

Since they were launched in the Eighties, more than 14 million mobile phones have come into use in Britain.

By 2003 this number is expected to rise to 20 million.

They will be able to talk to 300 million fellow users around the world.

Simon, 52, is worried that a major health hazard has come about and that too little is being done about it, too late.

As editor of the Electromagnetic Hazard and Therapy newsletter he sees it as his duty to tell users of the unknown risks they may be facing.

The Government's National Radiological Protection Board has admitted prolonged use of mobile phones can have the effect of heating up the brain.

But a recent spate of international research shows even low-intensity exposure can help cause brain tumours.

Simon said: "Most of the research is being done now. There was sufficient evidence before that would have indicated that there was a possible problem.

"I don't know of any product or service that has had so little research done prior to the launch on the market and now has so many questions to be asked about it.

"If it was a new drug it would have been withdrawn or circulated with a notice."

Research shows the low frequency pulsating microwaves emitted from mobile phones break down barriers dividing the blood from the brain.

It claims some calcium in the blood gets through, building up on the brain.

This, it says, increases the chance of tumours.

The fields of energy emitted by the phones are also said to cause problems including memory loss, sleeplessness and aggressive behaviour.

Simon said: "The brain is run on electrical energy. You are emitting microwaves into it by placing the phone next to your ear.

"Often people will have these problems and just attribute it to something else when the true cause could be using these phones.

"As phone rates go down during off-peak hours a lot of young people, like students at college, make more and longer calls.

"It's this group, who could be using the phones for the next 15, 20 or 30 years, who could really be at risk and should be informed."

The Department of Health has provided some extra money research into the problem.

Simon, who gained a masters degree in psychology before becoming a medical journalist, is not satisfied, saying: "We need to know the cumulative effect over years and years of putting pulse microwaves into one's brain.

"They are still talking about three or four years of research until they know the effects and people are still going to be using the phones.

"We could have a potential BSE situation on our hands given what we don't yet know.

"You have to look at some of the bigger studies being done over the long term.

"A recent study at Bristol looks at two or three exposures of 20 minutes. You can't draw any conclusions from that."

Public health minister Tessa Jowell recently announced an independent working group to look into research done on mobile phones.

She said: "In recent years research interest in the effects of mobile phones has increased.

"To date there has been no consistent evidence suggesting risk to health but there is continuing public concern about the possibility. It would be wrong to ignore that concern."

In the last few years some companies have spent tens of millions of pounds developing shields to protect users.

But these are not yet freely available in the UK. In the meantime Simon recommends using a remote earpiece when making mobile phone calls.

Microwaves are not only emitted when making calls. Phones also give out signals to let the companies know where their customers are.

Simon thinks this could have effects on parts of the body other than the brain, such as the testicles, kidneys and eyes.

"We have to use these phones with caution, otherwise who knows what the cumulative effect will be."

A BT spokesman said: "Millions of cellphone users have been making regular use of cellphones for many years now and no clear evidence has been found to suggest they have suffered any health-related problems."

Anyone who believes their health has been affected by mobile phone use should send details in a stamped, addressed envelope to Simon Best at PO Box 2039, Shoreham, BN43 5JD.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.