Parishioners fear children are at risk from bags of asbestos dumped outside a Bradford church.

Three bags of white asbestos were dumped in the grounds of Sacred Heart Church, Old Road, Thornton, several weeks ago.

But church members claim calls for help to Bradford Council and the Environment Agency to remove the material have fallen on deaf ears.

And now there are worries that children who play in the church yard at night could be in danger.

Bradford councillor John Buffham (Con, Thornton), a member of the church parish council, said: "We've tried all around to get somebody to come and move it but everybody says it's not their problem. Nobody seems to want to know.

"If kids opened the bags and started playing with it and got it on their hands it could cause all sorts of problems.

"There are signs up saying the church is private property but you can't tell an eight-year-old to keep out. They just won't do it. We just want somebody to come and take it away."

Coun Buffham said that the asbestos was only part of a larger dumping problem at the church.

"It's getting like a tipping ground up there. We've had to move settees and mattresses dumped in the church grounds before and now it looks like we're going to have to move the asbestos as well, but we don't want to."

Another church member, who did not want to be named, said: "The kids who come in here have been throwing the asbestos on to the roof of the church which can't be good for the church or for the children."

But a spokesman for Bradford Council said the authority was dealing with the problem.

He said: "The asbestos unit was asked for advice this morning by Mr Buffham, regarding asbestos dumped in the church grounds.

"We responded immediately to the inquiry, identified it as asbestos cement and have advised on its removal. As it was dumped on private land the land-owner has been advised of the options available to deal with the problem.

"The Council's environmental health unit will help as necessary to secure its removal."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it was not its responsibility to remove dumped asbestos but the responsibility of the land owner - in this case the church.

She said: "It isn't our job to remove such waste. The problem with fly tipping is that it is not clear whose responsibility it is - that's why it's such a big problem."

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