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A council has distanced itself from a device that claims to protect against 5G but which has now been dubbed a scam.

The USB stick was cited in a report prepared by Glastonbury Town Council, calling for a UK government inquiry into the health effects of 5G networks.

A security expert who took the device apart said it appeared to be a normal USB stick.

The Somerset council says it has never recommended use of the device.

In a statement on its website, the council said: "Glastonbury Town Council does not, and has never recommended or endorsed the 5GBioShield or any other anti-5G devices offering protection against the supposed negative health effects of fifth-generation cellular network technology".

It made reference to the 91�ȱ�'s article but said the recommendation was from "a member of the public" and did not represent the "official policy" of the council.

The 5GBioShield was recommended by Toby Hall, a member of the council's 5G advisory committee, who said he found use of the device "helpful".

But a security expert who took the device apart said it appeared to be a normal USB stick.

Tradings Standards is now seeking to halt sales of the £339 device, which it called a "scam".

An executive summary of a report compiled by the council and recommending that the government and Public Health England conduct their own studies into the safety of 5G networks, remains on the council's website.

But technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones, who led the 91�ȱ� investigation, tweeted that the full report has been removed.

Scientists have said that the is no evidence that mobile networks cause cancer or other illnesses.