FLY-TIPPERS caused a major health hazard after dumping two tonnes of asbestos in a remote country lay-by.

Council workers in protective boilersuits and masks were called to remove around 50 corrugated sheets left by the road on Black Moss Lane, which links Twiston, near Downham, to the A682 through Pendle.

An environmental health team from Ribble Valley Council spent yesterday morning taking the asbestos into storage. It will be transferred to a specialist tip in Freckleton, near Preston, designed to handle contaminated material.

The council said it has had to deal with an increasing amount of illegal fly-tipping since the Landfill Tax - which forces businesses to pay to dump rubbish on landfill sites - came into operation last year.

In one incident, nearly 30 tonnes of asbestos was left at Four Lane Ends, Clitheroe, in August 2003.

Alan Boyer, street cleaning and grounds maintenance manager, said: "The likelihood is someone dumped the asbestos because they didn't fancy paying to dispose of it properly.

"It's extremely irresponsible because asbestos is very dangerous and anyone could have come across this. Thankfully it's a remote site, miles from anywhere, so not many people could have come across it.

"However, that means it could have been left there for sometime before it was reported."

A countryside ranger reported the find on Wednesday before a council risk assessment team inspected the site and requested the environmental unit.

Mr Boyer said it would now cost the council at least £500 to move the material and store it in a council depot before paying for it to be disposed of at the tip.

He added: "Since Landfill Tax came in we've had to deal with more of these incidents.

"Some builders finish a job then ring up local tips and find out they have to take the asbestos to a specialist site at Freckleton. They don't want to pay the extra cost so they dump it and we end up picking up the tab."

The Environment Agency yesterday granted Ribble Valley Council permission to dispose of the asbestos.