A Gandia woman whose young son died of cancer is taking legal action against the council over a text-message literary competition aimed at young people. Every year, to promote creative writing and the use of valenciano through new technology, a competition in which competitors text a short story to the organisers is held in the town. It is aimed at 14 to 30-year-olds who, according to grieving mother Nicereta Herrero, are most at risk of health problems from using mobile phones.

She said she read this information in a European Union health report. At this age, Herrero explains, use of a mobile phone should be avoided at all costs due to the suspected presence of harmful waves that transmit down the line. She considers the competition encourages greater use of the mobile phone “despite the fact that they are harmful to people’s health. I consider it shameful that the council should realise activities of this type when what they should be doing is informing people of the damaging effect that mobile telephones have on our well-being,” Herrero told reporters.

Councillor for Culture Marcellí Giner said he was ‘surprised’ to find out Sra Herrero had filed legal action against his department last Friday. Giner reveals the council’s legal department had already assessed the risk of the text-messaging competition and said they could see no problem with it. Although he stresses he is against mobile telephone masts being placed in built-up areas, Giner assures that the mobile phone ‘has all the necessary State approval’ and that for this reason, he ‘will not withdraw the competition’.