Gateshead Council has denied being involved in ''secret government trials'' concerning street lights and 5G technology.

Council's denial

Council's denial

The local authority has issued a strong denial to the bizarre rumours on Facebook, insisting that the antennas on top of street lights do not cause cancer and also adding that they ''will not induce miscarriages in pregnant women, or cause insomnia, or nosebleeds, and they are not killing birds or insects''.

In a statement, the council - which actually uses 2G/3G technology - explained: ''Please be assured that there is no scientific basis or credible evidence for any of these scare stories about street lights causing cancer and other illnesses.

''We've taken advice from Public Health England who reviewed guidance issued by the World Health Organisation and they have confirmed that there is no risk.''