PARENTS, teachers and residents have joined forces to campaign against two schemes they say will put schoolchildren in danger.

More than 100 people are fighting separate planning applications which have roused fears ranging from health concerns to potential paedophiles.

Robin Price hopes to turn two derelict buildings at Little Moss Farm, in Priory Lane, Congleton, into five holiday accommodation units.

And mobile phone giants O2 and Vodafone want to install a 21 metre-high (69ft) mast at the same 11-acre site.

A total of 73 objection letters have now been sent to Cheshire East Council against the holiday cottage proposal and a further 111 letters have been submitted opposing the mast.

They raise concerns that children could be preyed upon by holidaymakers staying at the cottages, which would overlook Mossley Primary School's playing fields.

There are also fears radiation from the mast could affect the 300-plus pupils and those living nearby.

Sue Aston, headteacher of the Boundary Lane school, is leading the fight to get both applications thrown out.

She said: "We believe such a proposal for holiday accommodation would pose a safeguarding risk to children due to multiple unknown temporary residents that the cottage business will generate.

"Any visitor coming into school must use the front entrance, sign in and get a visitors badge.

"There would be no such safeguards at the boundary of the land creating unsupervised access on to school grounds and possible interaction with children through the fence."

Sue Mills, whose eight-year-old daughter Laura and five-year-old son James go to the school, has concerns about both plans.

The 46-year-old, of Park Lane, said: "In this day and age you don't know who might rent out the accommodation.

"And we all know masts have to go somewhere, but this isn't the right place."

Roy Thomas, who has lived in the area for 27 years, helped distribute 150 leaflets against both plans.

The 82-year-old said: "The cottages will lead to a loss of privacy and this mast will be seen for miles."

An application for a phone mast in Boundary Lane was thrown out last April.

And retired British Steel worker Alan Mountney said the objections were still relevant for the latest scheme.

The 72-year-old, of Priory Close, said: "It's absolutely ridiculous to even consider putting up a mast which will tower over properties."

The holiday scheme will see two storage buildings divided up into five units.

A decision on the holiday accommodation plan is expected within weeks. Consultation on the mast runs until the end of the month.