This brought a whole new meaning to the word 'buzzing'!

[tigwig]

Yesterday me, my own children and all the children I childmind for went for a family picnic day which was situated on a playing field that had the big electricity pylons running through it. We could all hear the electricity buzzing from them but then we all noticed that everytime a child was touched they were actually vibrating for a few seconds. This must have been from the pylons but I have never known this to happen ever! It was so weird and made me feel uneasy, especially when my 7mth old baby was vibrating too. Could it do the kids any harm? What about the people who live right next to them?

[cazzz1975]

bizarre, I have played golf on a course with pylons for years and have never seen that

[Nosha123]

never heard that before - but know they are proven to cause cancer from long term exposure (ie living nearby them!)

[Sqad]

nosha......???......what sort of cancers?

[craft1948]

ooh nosha.....the national grid will be after you...

[LoftyLottie]

Didn't know it was proven Nosh, but I know there are areas in which there are clusters of kids with childhood cancers and some of these areas include those under the huge pylons. We have a huge one about 100 yds or so away from us in the field behind, but I have never been unduly worried about it.

[Bbbananas]

Ooh, let's go sit on that pylon ladies....

Actually tigs, I wouldn't personally want to live near one of them. Far safer to just sit on the edge of a spin dryer. Apparently.

[Nosha123]

"A study by Bristol University scientists in 1999 identified a "causal" link between pylons and leukaemia"

"Campaigners are calling for a mandatory 50m "buffer zone" each side of the lines.

In the US, legislation prevents new homes being built near power lines."

and...

"After completing 2,000 experiments near pylons, a team from the University of Bristol has concluded the cables are responsible for trebling the amount of cancer-carrying pollutants in the air.

ALTHOUGH...

But their results have been condemned by scientists working for the electricity industry"

[Nosha123]

funny that the scientists working for the elec giants condemned the report...

just like the mobile phone giants did when the Stewart report was released - saying phone masts dont cause tumours - then the govt banned them from being positioned on the roof tops of schools!

[ummmm]

There's an area in Northampton with a high number of childhood cancers. They think it has something to do with the railway lines...

[Nosha123]

and not just cancer either

"Researchers found that people who lived with 150 feet (50 metres) of a power mast were 24 per cent more likely to die from dementia than people who lived more than 2,000 foot (600 metres) away"

Dont know that I would want to chance it really...

[Sqad]

nosha...there have been many studies other than the one that you mentioned and the results are equivocal.

As lofty said, there is certainly and increase in child leukaemia around these pylons, there hasn´t been any properly conducted trial to connect the electricity to child leukaemia.

There have been established "pockets" of increased incidence of this cancer, but nobody as yet knows why.

You may well be right, but to say that there are "proven" cases, is just not true.

[Nosha123]

Thats so awful UMMMM

I guess that there just havent been enough studies into this stuff to say 100% either way - and then for people to be able to avoid the problem... The reports probably cost a fortune - and someone has to fund the research...

Maybe one day they will say for sure...

Squad: I realise there is some speculation as to the Pylon/Cancer theories - but personally - given the option to live elsewhere.. I would! Same applies for Phone Masts!! I know of a Brain Specialist who is seeing more and more brain tumours - and she said NEVER let your children use a mobile phone - unless absolutely necessary...

[Nosha123]

ha ha Squad - hadnt read your post above til after I wrote my one above!! Ditto eh!!

[Sqad]

Nosha..........phone masts and tumours? I know of no reputable studies that show this, but do know that in a large Danish study, no connection was found.

[Nosha123]

The Stewart report found that masts and more importantly mobile phones themselves were found to alter cells in mice and rats - which then developed into cancerous cells.

The govt then banned them from being erected on school roof tops and issued guidelines that children under a certain age should not use them (or be sold them).

My husband used to wear his phone on his belt - and his side would actually ache by then end of the day...

Again - not enough know about it to prove it either way to put an end to the doubters - but I would err on the side of caution now

[Sqad]

Nosha...your surgeon friend is probably correct that he is seeing more brain tumours, but that is not to say that they are due to mobile phones.

The brain tumour that has been linked is an Acoustic Neuroma and this is not malignant.

[LoftyLottie]

I am now going to worry about dementia!!! I am afraid that the chances of living near huge pylons are very high in rural areas like where I live. I suppose the one near me is much further away than any proposed buffer zones. My main reason for wanting to get rid of it is that it somewhat spoils the view. I certainly, however, wouldn't want to live any closer and I find the noise from it on damp and rainy nights quite eerie!

They have now put an Orange Mast about 200 yds away. I am doomed. However, we have had no childhood cancers around here, although with only a scattering of houses I suppose that proves nothing.

[SarcasticStevie]

but know they are proven to cause cancer from long term exposure.

Nosh if this was the case then why have they not been banned? Also if this was true wouldn't there be several thousand people a year contracting brain tumors and then hauling the electricity companies through the courts in hope of a mega bucks payout or does this already happen?

[LoftyLottie]

But I hardly use my mobile phone, so that's something in my favour.

Personally I think there are many factors these days that are contributing towards more cancers and brain tumours. I am more worried about what they spray on the crops around me than the electricity masts.

[Nosha123]

Lofty - I think you'll be alright ;-)
Though I do speak from the knowledge of seeing my cousins 5 year old daughter die from a brain tumour - and opposite their house was a huge mast! So we spent lots of time researching it all and speaking with GP's and specialists who all warned of the potential dangers that COULD be there...

Dr Stewart who did the report has insisted his own grandkids do NOT use them!

To Stevie - as for suing people - unless you can prove without doubt the cause - you wouldnt have a case against them... not enough research has been done independently and I suspect it wont be done as the industries for electric and phones are enormous