RESIDENTS living in a doomed block of flats in Clydebank have been left fearing for their health after asbestos was found in one of properties.

Edmonstone Court in the town is one of three blocks of flats set for demolition to make way for a £1.2 million regeneration project.

One tenant of the block has been left extremely distressed after surveyors found asbestos in the roof of his bathroom after he complained about damp.

Lesley Fahy, 54, has been living in the building for around seven and a half years and had previously been told that asbestos was ‘presumed’ to be in the property.

He said: “I’ve had bad dampness in the bathroom for ages. It’s gone all black and goes all the way down the stairs.

“I’ve not bothered reporting it because it turns into a massive rigmarole so I’ve just been putting up with it but I’m not going to put up with asbestos.

“I had someone in to survey the ceiling because the artex was flaking off and the results came back to say that it tested positive for asbestos.

“The council have known about this for years but have kept it under wraps.

“They won’t divulge any information - I had to go and find out the results myself. We’re being kept in the dark.

“There are other residents with the same problems as well.

“Every individual flat should have been assessed but they didn’t bother - they have just left us in there.”

West Dunbartonshire Council finalised plans that would see Newshot, Edmonstone and Howcraigs Court all demolished in 2015.

The process of demolition was estimated to take up to three years and would make way for future development of ‘more desirable’ social housing stock.

Clydebank East is home to more than 330 flats in the multi-storey blocks alone but it is thought that more than half of these are currently empty due to maintenance and repair issues.

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “Asbestos was identified bound within the ceiling during a routine inspection of the property and we have continued to monitor this as we do with any building which contains the substance.

“There is no risk to the occupiers if left undisturbed and we are carrying out remedial work on the ceiling as planned this month.”