Dr Roger Coghill, who sits on a
Government advisory committee on
mobile radiation, has discovered
that all 22 youngsters who have
killed themselves in Bridgend, South
Wales, over the past 18 months lived
far closer than average to a mast.
He has examined worldwide studies
linking proximity of masts to
depression. Dr Coghill’s work is
likely to trigger alarm and lead to
closer scrutiny of the safety of
masts, which are frequently sited on
public buildings such as schools and
hospitals.
It is also likely to fuel more
campaigns against placing masts
close to public places on health
grounds.
Dr Coghill said last night there was
strong circumstantial evidence that
the masts may have triggered
depression in those from Bridgend
who took their lives.
They include Kelly Stephenson, 20,
who hanged herself from a shower
rail in February this year while on
holiday in Folkestone, Kent.
Dr Coghill said: “There is a body of
research that has over the years
pointed to the fact that exposure to
mobile radiation can lead to
depression. There is evidence of
higher suicide rates where people
live near any electrical equipment
that gives off radio or electrical
waves.”
There are now 70 million mobile
phone handsets in the UK and around
50,000 masts. Both emit radio
signals and electromagnetic fields
that can penetrate the brain, and
for many years campaigners have
argued that this could seriously
damage people’s health.
The national average for proximity
to a mobile phone transmitter varies
depending on the type of mast. The
latest masts are far more powerful
so they can transmit more
sophisticated data, such as photos
and videos for people to download on
internet phones.
Masts are placed on average 800
metres away from each home across
the country. In Bridgend the victims
lived on average only 356 metres
away.
The national average distance from a
new powerful mast is a kilometre
while in Bridgend it is 540 metres.
Three transmitters were within 200
metres, 13 within 400 metres and as
many as 22 within 500 metres of
victims’ homes. Carwyn Jones, 28,
who hanged himself last week, was
the third young person in his street
to commit suicide.
Research shows young people’s brains
are more susceptible to radio wave
energy. Only two weeks ago a report
identified mobiles as having an
effect on sleep patterns.
Dr Coghill added: “What seems to be
happening is that the electrical
energy is having an effect on the
chemistry of the brain, depleting
serotonin levels. We know that in
depression serotonin levels are low
and that a standard treatment for
depression is to give drugs to boost
serotonin levels. As they begin to
work, the patient’s depression
lifts.”
He said urgent research was needed
because Britain was now covered with
thousands of masts, many close to
homes, schools and offices.
Since January 5, 2007, there have
been 22 deaths of young people in
the Bridgend area. Some believe the
suicides are linked but so far
experts have failed to find a common
cause.
Thomas Davies, 20, hanged himself in
February 2007. Last night his
brother Nathan, 19, welcomed Dr
Coghill’s research. “As far as this
family is concerned nothing can
bring Tom back,” he said. “But if
there is a link found and something
can be done then it could prevent
further suicides.”
But Mike Dolan, executive director
of the Mobile Operators Association,
dismissed Dr Coghill’s research.
“This is an insensitive and
outrageous piece of speculation
which has no basis in established
science,” he said.
The Government’s Health Protection
Agency insisted that fields from
mobile masts – even modern powerful
masts – were well within
international agreed safety limits.
“There is no evidence that masts do
you harm. The levels of radio waves
are very low.”