RESIDENTS claim they have been left in the dark after deadly asbestos was found during building work.

Signs appeared last week warning people to stay away from a section of Lloyd Park, adjacent to the William Morris Gallery, which is currently being refurbished.

It later emerged a slab of asbestos had been found beneath a demolished bowling alley.

But members of the Winns Terrace Residents’ Association say they should have been kept informed about the dangerous discovery.

Chairman James Pitman said: “I was absolutely furious when we found out what was going on. The only reason we knew that there was asbestos at all was because an asbestos van turned up outside.

“None of us know anything about asbestos so we immediately presumed the worse.

“Open dumper trucks come down our road on a regular basis and they are full of concrete waste and rubble.

"We were very concerned that a JCB seen removing rubble from the fenced asbestos area was a possible danger to residents as it went down our road.

“The fact that no one thought to inform us of the find is disgusting.”

Councillor Geraldine Reardon, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Arts and Culture, said: “The council has written to local people apologising for any concern that was caused regarding the asbestos removal work that was safely carried out in Lloyd Park last week.

“In retrospect the council should have advised residents that contractors would be removing asbestos from the site prior to work taking place.

“That said, our contractors have taken all precautions necessary to ensure the safety of the surrounding public and of operatives working on the construction site and the council is entirely confident that the work was carried out successfully and that no one was put at risk.”