DANGEROUS asbestos is being stripped from Brighton's Parish Church.

The asbestos pipe lagging was found in the basement area under St Peter's Church in York Place.

It was installed several decades ago, before the health risks associated with the substance became known, and was discovered during a security check.

Now the material is being removed from the Grade II listed building by a specialist firm, Perkins Insulation, who will make the area safe to use.

The work, which is costing the church £25,000, should be finished by Easter.

The pipe lagging is made of white and brown asbestos.While it is not as dangerous as blue asbestos, it can still cause a number of serious diseases.

Perkins manager Mark O'Neill said: "It's dangerous because it has microscopic fibres which cause numerous diseases. The fibres are barbed so they go into the lungs and won't come out."

Aspokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said: "The company is fully compliant with the law and there is no risk to the public."

Father Douglas McKittrick, Vicar and Rural Dean of Brighton, said: "We had the asbestos pulled out because we wanted to use the area. We'd like to open some kind of drop-in centre for the lonely." Perkins have worked on many local sites removing asbestos including council buildings in Lewes Brighton Police Station.

Before the asbestos is stripped out it is soaked to stop the fibres escaping. A special vacuum cleaner sucks the fibres out of the area.

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