PROTESTERS stopped in North Yorkshire as part of a nationwide tour to highlight risks of radiation at a top military base.

Members of North Yorkshire CND met demonstrators from Fylingdales Action Network (FAN) and the Somewhere Real Group outside RAF Fylingdales yesterday on their national No Star Wars tour.

Neil Kingsnorth, of North Yorkshire CND, said they were travelling to London calling at nuclear and missile defence hotspots to raise awareness among the public. They stopped off at the North York Moors to highlight possible radiation risks.

As reported in the Evening Press on Monday, US Air Force scientist Dr Richard Albanese expressed his concerns that phased array radiation being created by RAF Fylingdales could have carcinogenic properties.

He said he would prefer to live "outside the beam" of the controversial listening post.

Mr Kingsnorth said they were concerned UK safe guidelines were less stringent than levels in Europe and posed a serious risk to health.

"This is clearly something the Government has to investigate properly - it's essential they do this and publish the results publicly," he said.

"If the Government will not carry out a scientific study we are talking about getting the money together to do our own study. They are refusing to answer questions."

CND vice-president Dave Knight joined protesters at a meeting in Pickering last night to discuss concerns about radiation emission. Jackie Fearnley, from FAN, said today: "Several people expressed interest in starting a group, getting together again as a kind of working party.

"It's very important for people to write to their local town or parish council to express these worries because then that can be taken further."

Ryedale MP John Greenway said he had written to the Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram, after learning of concerns about the possible risks associated with radiation emission.

"I have asked him to publish all of the information about health risks," he said.

"My understanding is that the evidence shows there's not a problem - but if someone as senior as the US scientist quoted on Monday has concerns then this has to be taken seriously.

"It's damaging to the local community and it's deeply damaging to the tourism industry."

The No Star Wars tour is due to call at Menwith Hill on the next leg of its journey, and expects to arrive in London on Friday, June 13.

Updated: 10:39 Friday, June 06, 2003