SUNBEDS could be banned from council leisure centres in Rossendale because of concerns over health risks.

Councillors will be asked to decide tomorrow whether sunbeds should be phased out in the light of fears that they could cause skin cancer.

A report to the council's Leisure Committee warns that the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Officers recommends that all local authorities phase out sunbeds over the next five years.

Councillors will be told that guidance posters recommending safe levels of use are displayed at all leisure centres which have sunbeds.

Records are kept of the number of times individuals use the tanning suites.

Staff also advise people that they should not use sunbeds more than 20 times a year.

The report quotes an article in the BMA Journal from a leading dermatologist.

This urges that all sunbeds should be banned unless they are needed to help genuine medical conditions.

He also puts the argument made by sunbed manufacturers that people want to tan and the best solution is to give the right advice on safe tanning.

Rossendale Council has four sunbeds in its swimming pools.

All the sunbeds are leased and could be removed at a month's notice.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.