With a week left for residents to object to proposals for a 12m phone mast on a school-run route concerned parents have made their feelings heard.

Parents and children gathered at the site of the proposed mast, by the Avondale Road bus station in North Worple way, Mortlake, on Wednesday, to show their determination to bring the plan to a halt.

Mother-of-two Kirsty Howarth, 41, from Mortlake, said one of the main issues was whether a phone mast could be a health risk.

She said: “The main issues are health and safety.

“We are very concerned about radiation from the mobile phone masts as they are so close to nurseries and primary schools.”

Olivia Coffey, of Richmond Park Road, added her objection on the council’s website.

She said: “As a parent of a four-year-old who is attending St Mary Magdalen's Primary School I am very concerned as to the health issues and risks surrounding mobile phone masts.

“My concern is for the serious potential risks associated with mast radiation to the children who attend these schools and playgroups and to the residents of this highly populated area.”

Applicants Vodafone and O2 tried to allay concerns.

A spokeswoman, speaking on behalf of both companies, said: “All of our base stations are designed, built and operated in accordance with stringent international guidelines.”

The plan was registered with Richmond Council on January 17 but there has already been a flood of objections. As of yesterday there were FIGURE TBC objections on the council’s website.

Schools and nurseries in the area also joined the fight, with the principals of both St Mary Magdalen’s and St Mary Magdalen’s montessori nursery, writing to the council to object.

Helen Frostick, headteacher at St Mary Magdalen’s, wrote: “It is widely believed that children might have a lower tolerance for one or more forms of exposure than the rest of the population... I am very concerned about the radiation which these masts emit.”