ALMOST 20 schools in the Redditch area still contain asbestos – despite it killing about 2,000 people in the UK every year, the Advertiser can reveal.

A Freedom of Information request to Worcestershire County Council uncovered a list of 131 community schools across Worcestershire that still hold the toxic substance, not including academies.

In the Redditch area, this includes:

Batchley First School

Beoley First School

Birchensale Middle School

Oak Hill First School

Holyoakes Field First School

Moon's Moat First School

Roman Way First School

Tenacres First School

Woodrow First School

Pitcheroak School

St Luke's CE First School

St Stephen's CE First School

St George's CE First School

Inkberrow First School

Feckenham CE First School

The Forge Secondary Short Stay School

The Beacon Primary North East PRU

The Beacon Primary North West PRU

Meadow Green Primary School (Wythall)

But the council has insisted that removing the material in some schools would entail demolishing the building altogether, with the only possible response to leave the danger contained in the structure.

A council spokesman said: "Asbestos was formerly in common use as a building material, typically found in cement boards or sheets, roofing materials or as insulation. Asbestos, when bonded in cement, is relatively stable but becomes dangerous where it gets damaged or the fibres are disturbed.

"The council has had a programme of asbestos surveys and removal, encapsulation and remediation works for many years and this is under continual review. Although the majority of friable asbestos has been dealt with there is still a legacy of asbestos in places that are difficult to access or are part of the structure of the building; removing the latter would probably entail demolition and rebuild.

"It is and it remains Worcestershire County Council policy to remove asbestos materials that are likely to be damaged or disturbed and this is routinely done during major refurbishment and maintenance works."

The council emphasised it is complying with asbestos regulations and claims there have been no incidents of asbestos exposure in Redditch in the last five years

Asbestos-related diseases rarely show symptoms until between 25 and 50 years after the person was exposed to it.

For more information, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.