WYCLIFFE College is preparing to fight plans to erect a mobile phone mast on its doorstep.

Telecommunications giant O2 wants to install the 15 metre mast directly opposite one of the school's main boarding houses, Loosley Halls, which is situated on the main A419 highway.

The school is objecting on six grounds - the most important being the possible threat to pupils' health due to emissions.

Wycliffe head Margi Burnet Ward said: "This is not just scare-mongering or a not in my backyard attitude but a real concern for our students.

"We have looked into this in detail and are extremely concerned about the health of people within a 600m radius of the beams.

"We have sought professional advice and have been advised that we have every reason to object.

"At Wycliffe we work hard to promote good health and exercise and these plans go against everything we are trying to encourage."

Staff living on the boarding school's grounds are sending letters of objection to Stroud District Council this week.

"We intend to lobby our parents at the senior school and the prep school to make it clear that we are totally against this mast being erected anywhere near either of the schools," added Mrs Burnet Ward.

Angela Johnson, spokesman for O2 Uk, said there was no evidence that such masts posed any health risks.

"All five mobile phone operators part-fund research with the Government and so far there is no risk to health from mobile phone masts," she said.

"People want to use their mobile phones and because the masts are so low powered there has to be more of them."