Scientific warnings about the danger of mobile phones have led to a surge in demand for hands-free kits. Mobile phone outlets around the country are struggling to keep up with demand for the kits, which are said to reduce the radiation risk to a minimum by keeping the phone away from the user's head.

The flurry of activity was provoked by the findings of two scientists - Dr Lennart Hardell from Sweden and Dr George Carlo from the US - announced this week. Dr Hardell found that people who held mobile phones to the side of their heads had a two and a half times greater risk of getting a brain tumour than nonusers. Dr Carlo's research found that use of mobiles increased the risk of a rare type of brain tumour.

Ms Helen Keogh, of Total Recall Phones, in Dublin, said: "The findings have had a dramatic effect on our sales. We're selling 300 to 400 per cent more hands-free kits than before." "Companies, especially those involved in construction, are phoning in orders of 30 to 40 hands-free sets for their employees. They have become aware of the risks and their health and safety people are advising them to supply these to employees who use mobiles constantly."

The recent findings on radiation from mobile phones, released last Tuesday, certainly seem to have hit home with phone owners all over the State. Mr Derek Keogh, of City Electronics in Dublin, said: "Our sales of hands free kits have risen 100 per cent since the findings were publicised." Mr Rory Burke, of Apex communications in Cork, said: "The first question people ask now is about radiation from the phones and the hands-free kits."

"We're selling 80 per cent more of these sets, while the number of radiation shields and cases sold have also increased. Up to this, we used to sell about seven or eight cases a week; this week we've sold about 40 and it's only Thursday. Our busiest time is the weekend".

The shields and cases retailing in some outlets are not scientifically proven to have any effect. The panic buying, which the findings have provoked in many people, has blinded them to the fact that if a mobile phone is to function properly the antenna, which is the sole source of the radiation, cannot be covered. These cases, retailing at around £35, which seem to be flying off the shelves in some shops, only cover the body of the phone and have no proven blocking or reducing effect on the radiation emitted by the antenna. The findings, which highlighted Nokia phones as posing the biggest risk, seem to have had no adverse effect on their sales with people in Cork signing up to waiting lists for the new Nokia 51-10.

Ms Anne Hennessy, of Allied Electronics in Limerick, said: "We always recommended that people who were using mobile phones would get hands-free sets. A lot of people are now upgrading their phones and are buying hands-free kits at the same time".

Many of the stores contacted by The Irish Times said that they advised people to buy the hands-free sets when purchasing a mobile phone, even before recent revelations.