The discovery of asbestos has delayed refurbishment work in a Cullercoats public toilet.
The public toilets, south of Cullerocoats Bay and off Beverley Terrace, were discovered to contain asbestos following analysis of a suspect cement pipe collar. The material has been subsequently removed and disposed of by specialised contractors.
The use of any asbestos in construction works has been illegal in the UK since 1999, although had been used extensively throughout the 1970s and 80s. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the material is responsible for the deaths of 5,000 tradesmen a year.
