Argyll and Bute Council is investigating claims that children are playing with pieces of asbestos on an Oban beach.
The stoney shoreline at Gallanach between the Alchemy Plant and Contracting fabrication yard and Puffin Dive Centre, Oban, overlooks the Sound of Kerrera, an area popular with tourists.
But broken pieces of building rubble can be seen among the rocks on the beach and a local guest house owner says it is asbestos.
David Doak, owner of The Anchorage guest house, which looks directly onto the beach, says the material came from a time predating any current owners in the area.
Andrew Jamieson, who recently bought the fabrication yard after leasing the site for some time, said there is no asbestos in his yard and the site is intact.
Mr Doak, who has lived at the guest house for many years, said: “There are children playing on the beach using bits of asbestos for skimming stones. My main concern is it’s cancer causing.”
He added: “The site used to be called Harper’s Yard which was a demolition company. They did the demolition work when the South Pier was redeveloped and the old Cattle Mart became Tescos.”
He claimed that bits of rubble started leaking from the yard after part of the sea wall collapsed some time ago.
The site was later used as a seafood processing business.
Mr Jamieson said: “My land has no asbestos. The yard was an old seafood processing plant. We leased it and recently bought it. There is no asbestos as far as I am aware. My site is intact.”
There is currently a planning application for a new fabrication shed at the yard.
No-one from Puffin Dive Centre was available for comment yesterday.
Argyll and Bute Council is looking into the situation. A spokeswoman said: “We are investigating and will take appropriate action if required.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said that Mr Doak should call its pollution hotline with his concerns on 0800 80 70 60.
