Youngsters are being urged to stay away from an abandoned hospital site following the discovery of asbestos.

Bingley Hospital, in Fernbank Drive, has been empty since February when services were transferred to Canalside Health Care Centre in Kingsway.

The empty hospital, which has been plagued by theft, arson and trespass, is owned by a primary care trust, NHS Bradford and Airedale, which hopes to obtain permission to demolish the building and sell the site.

But this has been delayed after the discovery of asbestos in the basement and the presence of bats.

NHS Bradford and Airedale has employed a 24-hour guard and has secured the site with fencing. Meanwhile, signs have been put up warning people of the risk of asbestos.

A board meeting of NHS Bradford and Airedale heard how police were called when youths locked a guard in a chemical toilet and pushed it over.

Bingley firefighters also found evidence that the building was being used as a drugs den when they were called to a deliberate blaze in August.

Mike Dyson, estates manager for NHS Bradford and Airedale, said: “We would urge parents who live near the site to do their best to prevent their children from playing on the site as it could be dangerous. The building is starting to deteriorate and asbestos is a serious health hazard.

“We are also working with a bat conservation group to re-house the bats safely at an alternative site.”

He said asbestos was in areas not accessible to the public when the building was open and arrangements would be made to use a specialist contractor to remove the asbestos.