Now it's Tetra telly
TETRA has been turned on and is causing TV turmoil for the residents who live in its shadow.
And the main players in the shambles all seem to be saying: don't blame me...blame someone else.
The controversial mast, situated on floodlights at Worthing Football Club, was turned on by O2 Airwaves last Thursday.
And the company, which is responsible for siting the masts, said Tetras at Tolmere Farm, Findon, and Southwick Football Club would be turned on "imminently."
Residents living in roads surrounding Worthing Football Club have complained that the reception on their televisions has been affected by Tetra's transmissions.
St Elmo Road resident, John Roberts, asked: "If it's doing this to the TV what is it doing to us?"
He said the picture he receives of ITV is "fuzzy" and he can no longer record programmes off the channel onto his video recorder. He said: "Turn the signal off now."
Fellow St Elmo's resident Father John McCormack, chaplain at St Barnabas Hospice, said the reception became so bad last week he found it impossible to watch ITV and has been forced to spend 115 on a booster for his aerial.
"We bought two video recorders brand new in December. They cost 70 each but now they are useless."
He added: "It is slightly spooky because when you
put your hand in front of the recorders - it is fine. The engineer said my body was blocking the signal which is a sign the problem is coming from an outside transmitter."
Father McCormack said he spent two hours trying to speak to someone at O2 Airwaves and was eventually "fobbed off" and given an address to write to in Leeds.
"It's very bad news. I am determined to land this bill on someone's desk and make them pay it."
Tetra campaigner Kenny Brady, of Gaisford Road, said he believed most of the residents of St Elmo Road were experiencing some difficulty with receiving ITV.
He told the Herald he was hoping to set up a meeting with O2 Airwaves and other concerned parties, including residents, to discuss finding a more appropriate site for the mast.
"The idea behind it is to get into a consultation with them and work together and see if we can get a resolution."
Morty Hollis, chairman of Worthing Football Club, said he signed a 20-year contract nine years ago for a "substantial sum" – rumoured to have been 25,000 – and had no plans to go back on the agreement.
He said: "We would get sued for breach of contract."
But he added he did have concerns about the mast because residents living near the ground were worried. "If it came down it would please us because it would please our neighbours."
He said with hindsight he would have acted differently when he was offered the contract. "If we knew there was Tetra about and thought to be harmful then we would not have signed it.'
O2 Airwaves erected the mast at the club in December and since then campaigners have staged demonstrations, lobbied the council, signed petitions and held public meetings in the hope of getting the mast turned off and taken down.
Their campaign has been backed by the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham. Tim Loughton said: "The responsibility lies with Airwaves and the police authority. I remain completely unconvinced that this is the best possible site to put the mast and in these circumstances I think it is irresponsible for O2 to switch on the mast and the police authority to give the go-ahead."
Sue Moore, of O2 Airwaves, said people experiencing interference with television pictures should contact communications regulator Ofcom (0208 645 2200) which would investigate. There is a public meeting at the Pavilion Road Bowls Club at 7pm tonight (March 4).
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
