Trials at Hove Crown Court were dramatically halted this morning after an asbestos scare.

The deadly substance was found in a stairway leading to cells by workmen updating the 30-year-old building.

Analysis confirmed that it was asbestos and court staff immediately closed the stairway and cells. Further tests were continuing today.

The Department of Constitutional Affairs has now ordered that part of the building be shut until the asbestos has been safely removed.

The closure meant that two trials which started at Hove last week will have to be moved to other courts.

Defendants in both trials - one faces a kidnap charge and the other an allegation of wounding - had been remanded in custody and would need to be kept in cells below the court when not in the dock.

However, the court will still able to deal with defendants who were not in custody.

Court staff refused to comment about the discovery and referred calls to the Department for Constitutional Affairs in London.

A spokesman said: "Asbestos was found in panels in the stairwell to the cells. The panels are quite flimsy and could be damaged quite easily by, say, someone knocking a chair against them.

"If they were damaged that could increase the risk of asbestos dust being released.

"It is a small amount and it is borderline in terms of the risk to public health. However, it has been decided to close the building while the panels are stripped out and the asbestos safely disposed of.

"That is likely to take between three and four weeks and we are making attempts to find alternative courts to take the cases listed for Hove."

Asbestos was commonly used in the Seventies to provide insulation in buildings.

It was later discovered that it could cause breathing problems and conditions such as asbestosis if people were directly exposed to the dust.

Hove Crown Court is currently undergoing major refurbishment costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Department of Constitutional Affairs spokesman refused to reveal the exact cost of the work for "commercial reasons".

It involves putting in new information technology and video links and improving the layout of the two smallest courtrooms.

The work had been expected to be finished by the end of July. It is not yet known whether asbestos clearance work will affect that.