Following recent reports in your paper about mobile phones and base stations, readers may like to be reminded of current UK Government and Department of Health advice regarding children and mobile phones. First stated in 2000 and reconfirmed in 2005 in an updated leaflet, it reads:

"...the widespread use of mobile phones by children (under the age of 16) should be discouraged for nonessential calls. In the light of this recommendation the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) strongly advise where children and young people do use mobile phones, they should be encouraged to use them for essential purposes only and keep all calls short - talking for long periods prolongs exposure and should be discouraged.

"The UK CMOs recommend if parents want to avoid their children being subject to any possible risk which might be identified in the future, the way to do so is to exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones."

So the Government have legally protected the State and passed the reponsibility for young people under 16 having and using a mobile phone on to their parents.

If the children later develop serious neurological problems or brain cancer, it will have been the parents' who allowed and helped it to happen, against official advice.

All parents and grandparents should be made aware of this.