Fields of screams for irate motorists

BY GARRICK ALDER

Stranded woman forks out £45 to get immobilised car started Shoppers can't tear themselves away from Kempston Interchange Retail Park - because a mobile phone mast is disabling their cars.

One driver was charged £45 to be rescued after electromagnetic fields reset her car's systems and left her stranded.

Carole Tugaut was shocked to learn about the car-paralysis epidemic after falling victim to the forcefield at the end of May.

She told Bedfordshire on Sunday: "I loaded up the boot with shopping and got back into the car.

"I just couldn't get it to start.

"The only solution was to call out Buckdales vehicle recovery services, who were extremely helpful.

"The driver asked me which end of the car park I had used and whether I had a remote control key.

"Apparently the electric cables above the car park scramble electronic keys.

"He informed me that the same thing happened all the time.

"He mentioned three occasions involving the very same spot, which is directly under a pylon.

"I couldn't believe it.

"Repair companies must be making a fortune out of this - I had to pay £45 for being towed away and reset.

"More importantly, customers are being inconvenienced and it is dangerous to lone females like myself."

The weak fields from mobile phones were long thought harmless but recent evidence suggests prolonged closeness to the body can be dangerous.

Bedford Borough Council referred us to the national Radiological Protection Board, who referred us to communications watchdog Ofcom.

A spokesman for Ofcom said: "This is certainly not an unknown phenomenon.

"It is usually that the key fob and the mast are operating on similar frequencies and therefore interfering with each other.

"If members of the public have concerns about a particular mast, we will take them up."