BATTLING Timperley residents are still aiming to smash out of court a phone mast scheme for a nearby tennis club.

The concerned locals are refusing to accept it is game, set and match to phone company Hutchison 3G.

They have set up a group - Timperley against Phone Masts (TAPS) - to spearhead their efforts to prevent the 15-metre phone mast being erected at Heyes Grove tennis club.

TAPS' tactics, aimed at pulling off a five set victory, include taking legal advice on the possibility of getting planning permission overturned, through a Judicial Review.

It is also trying to persuade the tennis club to take on board its worries about possible health risks and to refuse to allow the installation on its land.

TAPS is lobbying MP Graham Brady and councillors, and is calling on all residents to sign a petition that has been placed in Timperley Post Office.

And it is looking at holding a mass protest and vigil at the club.

But Hutchison 3G has refuted the group's health and safety concerns and invited it to get in touch about the issues. The company insists it is a good site to provide mobile phone coverage for the area.

TAPS points out the original plan was to site the mast on the council owned Timperley recreation and athletics track ground. But Hutchison shelved this 'due to difficulties in site acquisition' according to a planning committee report.

The group has sent letters to hundreds of residents asking for their support. It says: "This mast and its radiation emissions potentially blights the whole of our local community and its many facilities including its health centre; schools; cubs, scouts; brownies and guides; girls and boys brigades; children's playgrounds and athletic facilities.

"Astonishingly, the council said that it could not take the community's concerns and perceived health risks into account. This is despite recent legal decisions saying that it should.

"Even though permission has been granted the tennis club could still refuse to have the mast on its land."

When SAM tried to contact tennis club chairman Arthur Banks he left a message referring the paper to a firm of solicitors and staff from Hutchison 3G.

Ben Strutt, the community affairs manager at Hutchison 3G, said: "This is a good site. We are removing a 10-metre floodlight pole and replacing it with a 15-metre pole. There is also substantial tree screening around the tennis club. We are trying to provide good mobile 'phone coverage for the area."

On the health risks he added: "TAPS is misinformed. We take our health and safety stance from what the Government did. The Stewart report was published in May 2000 and said on the basis of scientific evidence there is no risk to the population living nearby, provided we operate to well understood global levels.

"We are happy to talk to TAPS about the issues."

A council spokesman said: "The council received an application for planning permission to erect a mobile phone mast at the athletics track off Park Road, Timperley. The application was granted planning permission having considered the relevant planning issues relating to the proposal. However, as the athletics track is leased from the council, the council's 'landlords consent' was required. The applicant was informed that no formal policy on telecommunications equipment on council owned land was currently in place and that this issue was to be addressed.

"The applicant decided not to wait for a formal policy to be implemented and sought an alternative privately owned site at Heyes Grove Tennis Club. A planning application for that site has been submitted and permission was granted following consideration by the council's planning development control committee."