Agness Arton was so concerned, she moved her family from their home in Troutbeck Way, Biddick Hall, to Beaconside in Marsden.

Mrs Arton spoke of her fears after the Gazette revealed how some residents in nearby Chaucer Avenue – which is shadowed by two pylons – had been killed by cancer and many more had battled, or are currently receiving treatment for the disease.

In 1992 her daughter Sarah was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was only eight-years-old.

Mrs Arton, 53, said: "For 18 months she was suffering from headaches and double vision, but nobody was sure exactly what the problem was.

"It was after I took her to get her eyes tested and the optician said she should go to hospital, that it was discovered."

After 17 days in hospital and surgery on her brain, Miss Arton, now 24, and a student at Northumbria University, was on the mend but has to take medication for the rest of her life.

Although there is no direct link, Mrs Arton and her husband John, 57, a sea captain, were convinced the pylon, just yards away from their home, played a part in their daughter's illness, and decided to move a few months later.

Mrs Arton, also the mother of Jane, 18, said: "It wasn't just Sarah who had a tumour, a young boy over the back also had one in his brain too.

And about six neighbours either side of us were battling cancer."

One of these residents was Anna Miller's husband John, 64, who was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2003. The couple, who now live in Grosvenor Road, Westoe, South Shields, spent 25 years at their property in Troutbeck Way.

Mrs Miller said: "We always had our suspicions about the pylons, but we definitely believe they're at fault now.

"John's fine now thankfully, but something needs to be done.

"There was also a young baby boy who had cancer of the spine too, but his family moved away."

After battling with her illness, Miss Arton has vowed never to live near pylons in the future.

She added: "When I come to buy my own house, I'll be making sure it's nowhere near a pylon."

In 2007, the Sage Report was issued by National Grid to advise the Government on electric magnetic fields (EMFs) coming from overhead power lines. In it, experts concluded: "There is no doubt that EMFs can have effects on the body if the fields are high enough.

Chaucer Avenue 'pylon cancer' fears - SPECIAL REPORT
Families 'pylon cancer' fears
Living in the shadow of the pylons
Pylon cancer fears - health statistics

"Specifically, external EMFs induce internal electric fields in the body's tissue, which can interfere with the action of nerves."

However, many experts feel there is still not enough evidence to prove that cancer can be attributed to pylons.

Since the Gazette revealed the health statistics on Chaucer Avenue a further six cases have been reported to us.

This now takes the number of cancer deaths up to 18 and the number of people who have suffered, or are currently battling the condition up to 22.

If you, or any of your family, have been affected by the pylons, contact Verity Ward on 427 4861