The School of Public Health at Imperial College London carried out the study after concerns were raised over whether exposure by pregnant women to radiation from cellphone masts may increase a child's risk of developing early childhood cancers such as leukaemia and brain tumours.

Previous studies have failed to provide a final response to the question. Researchers analysed data from 1,397 children under the age of four who had cancer, compared with 5,588 children as the control group. They looked at where the children's mother had lived during pregnancy, how near the locations were to cellphone masts, and the power output of those masts.

“The study found no link between early childhood cancers and cellphone mast exposure during pregnancy,” it said. “However, its authors did caution that the link being looked at was specifically between such exposure and early childhood cancers - they draw no conclusions about any other possible health effects.”

Dr David Black, Occupational & Environmental Medicine Specialist and member of the Royal Society of New Zealand, welcomed the study which should help to clarify an issue which still causes public debate. “It is also pleasing to see that it doesn't end in ‘more research is needed’, because it's clearly not,” he said.

You can read the full report here.