Asbestos museum looks to reopen

Asbestos was found during renovation work at the museum

Officials at a museum in Cumbria at the centre of an asbestos scare are hoping to allow staff and volunteers back in before the start of week beginning 11 August.

But the Haig Colliery mining museum in Whitehaven will not fully open until the end of this month.

The charity which runs the museum had hoped to reopen two weeks ago, following the discovery of asbestos in the cellar on 10 July.

But it was delayed when the local authority asked for more safety checks to be carried out.

Tests on the air quality have now been completed, and the museum could open to the public at the end of August.

'Low risk'

Meanwhile, the charity says such a long closure of the museum over the summer will cost it "several thousands of pounds".

It is now asking for donations to help secure its long term future

The museum was sealed off after tests revealed a mixture of white and brown asbestos was present in areas being renovated.

Health officials have said the risk of serious disease is "very low".

But former volunteers and local doctors were alerted to the potential long-term risks of cancer.