A FORMER vicar has warned that considerable costs could fall on the people of Burnley and Padiham after councillors refused to allow mobile phone equipment in St Leonard's Church tower.

But recently-retired Canon Jim Duxbury, who spearheaded the church application for phone giant Orange to install transmitter dishes in the belfry and raise much-needed rental cash for church maintenance, was unable to say whether the church will, in fact, lodge an appeal against refusal.

He said he was saddened by the decision of Burnley Council's development control committee to reject the scheme.

Councillors turned down the application, primarily because of town-wide concern that microwaves from the equipment could be a health hazard.

In his first public response to the move, Canon Duxbury said today: "I am greatly concerned that in reaching their decision elected councillors chose to disregard the professional advice of their officers who told them that if it went to appeal it was not at all certain the decision would be upheld. The cost of such an appeal could be considerable.

Canon Duxbury went on: "Are the councillors prepared to pay this out of their own pockets?

"If not, the costs would have to come from the pockets of the people of Padiham and Burnley."

Canon Duxbury questioned whether this was responsible stewardship of the town's finances, in view of the already difficult financial position facing Burnley Council.

But he said it was too early to say whether an appeal would be lodged.