Plymouth's Mount Batten beach closed again after more asbestos is found

A beach in Plymouth has been closed again after more asbestos was found on the sand.

Mount Batten beach was temporarily fenced off back in April after "a small amount of low grade, low-risk asbestos" was found.

The council said the issue was resolved - but this week more of the dangerous material was discovered following a spell of bad weather.

Asbestos is a term for a group of minerals made of microscopic fibres. If you breathe in these fibres, they can damage your lungs.

Before its dangers were known, asbestos was often used in buildings for insulation, flooring and roofing and sprayed on ceilings and walls.

It is now banned in the UK. Buildings constructed before the year 2000 may still have asbestos in them.

If the asbestos-containing materials inside these buildings remain intact, they pose very little risk.

It’s only when these materials are damaged or disturbed that tiny asbestos fibres can be released into the air and breathed into your lungs.