Phone masts could be installed on church towers across the region in the wake of a decision by an ecclesiastical court.

The Chancellor of the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, His Honour Judge Simon Grenfell, has ruled in favour of the Vodafone equipment being installed at St Margaret's in Hawes and Holy Trinity in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

There was vigorous opposition to both from local communities who feared radiation could pose a risk to health. But, in his ruling announced yesterday Judge Grenfell confirmed each church will be granted a faculty to permit alterations which will allow telecommunications equipment to be installed.

Permission comes with the condition that Vodafone will have to monitor levels of radiation from both masts to ensure they meet internationally recognised guidelines.

The company will also have to ensure the equipment is not used to transmit obscene, indecent, offensive, menacing material.

Nevertheless, the decision is expected to influence similar application around the region.

Delivering his ruling, Judge Grenfell indicated churches in the Ripon and Leeds diocese would no longer have to provide "cogent and compelling evidence" that there is no risk to health provided the proposed levels are within Government guidelines.

The judgement also concludes that future objections based on the argument that telecommunications masts are inappropriate for church buildings are unlikely to succeed.

Councillor John Blackie - who serves on the parish, district and county authorities as well as on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority which originally voted to reject the Hawes application - said Hawes residents would be extremely disappointed by the ruling.

''However, it is one that we had come to expect as, throughout, we did seem to be dealing with foregone conclusions,'' he said.

Coun Blackie pointed out people were also uncomfortable with the fact an ecclesiastical court has made a decision when it was the Church which stands to gain financially if Vodafone masts are given the go-ahead.

However, Vodafone's Jane Frapwell insisted residents have little to fear.

She added: ''The company policy is to guarantee that the equipment we use is compliant with international guidelines; the levels of radiation are at such a low level they are no worse than those emitted by radio networks used by the emergency services or some household appliances.

''Contrary to what you may read in the media from time to time, the consensus of opinion is that there is no scientific evidence that mobile phone masts are a risk to health."