Asbestos investigation launched into Burry Port beach

An investigation has been launched into reports of asbestos being found on a beach at the site of an old power station.

Burry Port mayor Mike Theodoulou said he was "furious" about the situation and wanted the beach - between Burry Port and Pall - cordoned off.

He said his own grandchildren played on the sands and was worried they and others were at risk.

Carmarthenshire council insisted the material posed "very little risk".

Mr Theodoulou said the authority and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had been notified two months ago, but nothing had been done.

The 71-year-old said he was due to meet the council on Tuesday but that had now been cancelled.

He said: "If you go there, you can pick up pieces of asbestos that are flaky and powdery. Kids play on that beach, they have been seen building sandcastles with bits of asbestos."

Mr Theodoulou was concerned erosion could see asbestos being washed into the ocean from the site of the former Carmarthen Bay Power Station at the Millennium Coastal Park.

The council said specialists had been asked to "assess a small amount of material that could potentially contain asbestos".

It said it had been spotted among rocks on a stretch of beach near Burry Port.

A spokesman said: "The material, that looks like rubble and small sections of corrugated sheet, has been seen in a small area some way east of the harbour where coastal erosion is uncovering some remains of previous industrial use in the area.

"The council is reassuring members of the public that the wet conditions of the beach means the material poses very little risk - asbestos fibres only become a risk if they are disturbed and become airborne.

"However, members of the public are being asked not to touch or move the material so that it can be properly assessed and dealt with."

The council's member for public protection, Philip Hughes, said the area concerned was "where some remains of the power station that was demolished in the 1990s is being uncovered by coastal erosion".

He added: "Whilst we can be reassured that the material - even if it is found to contain asbestos - poses very little risk due to the wet conditions of the area, we advise people to leave the material alone."

It is not the first time asbestos has been found in the £27m park.

It was confirmed to be in the area in 2000 after it was identified from Carmarthen Bay Power Station records.

NRW has been asked to comment.