DUMPED asbestos has still not been moved - around a year after being left next to the River Lune.

The sheeting is lying in a car park close to the John O'Gaunt Rowing Club in Lancaster.

The Citizen understands the sheeting was left at the site around a year ago but is still there.

But Lancaster City Council says until the owner of the land reports the problem there is little it can do.

The council has promised to look into the matter and says officers will visit the site to assess the situation and look at ways to remove the sheeting.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive says the sheeting in its current form does not pose a serious danger to people - but would like to see it moved in any case.

"Obviously we would prefer to see something like this moved," he says.

"But the sheeting is usually something called asbestos cement and in that form it is at its least dangerous.

"If it is outside as well it will be damp and that stops any particles spreading in the wind, so there would be no great danger to members of the public."

The city council has an enforcement role along with the HSE in regulations covering the management of asbestos in non-domestic premises.

A spokesman for the council says: "If the asbestos was dumped or stored outside of the premises it would be covered by general health and safety law if a workplace and potentially nuisance law if a non workplace.

"When we are informed of incidents of this nature, officers from environmental health would arrange to visit the site in question in order to assess the situation.

"City contract services will remove asbestos cement by arrangement with the owner from private property/land that has been prepared for collection for a charge.

"Asbestos containing materials are regularly picked up by CCS and the Councils Parks Department when dumped on public land as and when alerted to their presence."