Kingsbridge

The principal of Kingsbridge Community College has played down fears that wireless internet technology could increase the long-term risk of cancer in children.

BBC television programme Panorama revealed that radiation levels from wi-fi in one British school was up to three times the level of mobile phone mast radiation.

The readings were about 600 times below the government's safety limits but Sir William Stewart, chairman of the Health Protection Agency, said there needed to be an urgent review into wi-fi.

But Kingsbridge College head Roger Pope said he was unfazed by the news.

"We have followed best practice in installing wireless networks," Mr Pope told the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette.

"We make limited use of wireless as all our rooms are, in the main, wired network.

"We follow the advice of the Government's ICT Agency, Becta, and of course constantly review our policy in the light of new evidence."

Professor Lawrie Challis, retired professor of physics at the University of Nottingham, added: "Wi-fi seems unlikely to pose any risk to health.

"Wi-fi exposures are usually very small - the transmitters are low power and some distance from the body.

"They can be near to the body, however, when a laptop is on one's lap and my own view is that just as we encourage young children not to use mobile phones we should also encourage them to use their laptops on a table rather than their lap, if they are going online for a long time."

The Professional Association of Teachers union is writing to the education secretary, Alan Johnson, for a clarification on wi-fi safety.