Letter: Power line fears

Sir: The report that the magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines do not cause cancer is reassuring, but it does little to help those unfortunate enough to live under them (report, 3 December).

Overhead high power lines induce a feeling of menace. The crackle of leaking electricity is audible whenever it rains. Children have to be warned that they must never get near them. What happens if a wire breaks and comes down across the playing fields? What happens if a wire comes down across the house?

Fears such are these do not appear to be taken into account by whoever plans these things. High power lines should never be carried over built up areas. In fact only a small proportion of national grid lines are hung over houses, so why can those lines not be put underground?

Dr ARTHUR TARRANT

Twickenham,

Middlesex