CHRISTMAS celebrations in a North Yorkshire market town were thrown into jeopardy when festive lights were found to be covered in asbestos dust.

Ryedale District Council discovered the dust as part of a regular inspection of the town hall, in Malton. Pipes clad in asbestos had been damaged and the dust lights up in all of the streets by November 30, they will be up by the following week at the latest.

"We have hired contractors to put the lights up and a big chunk of the unaffected lights are already up. The district council has also offered its support."

Asbestos removal experts will be working in large tents in the market place over the next three weeks, while two affected buildings are cleaned.

As well as the town hall, the Milton Rooms, a council-run events space, is also affected. A number of parking spaces will be lost, but all nearby businesses are trading as normal.

Mr Townsend added: "While the clean-up process will be very visible, including a large decontamination tent, the work itself is undertaken in a controlled manner and carried out by specialist contractors. It is also under observation by the health and safety inspectorate."

David Summers, property manager for Ryedale District Council, said: "These works are predominantly in the basement area and therefore the Milton Rooms will be open as usual.

Work will concentrate initially on the decontamination of the Christmas lights."

The switch-on of the lights will take place in the market place at 6pm, on Friday, November 30.

had settled on some of the Christmas lights.

Work will start this week to remove the potentially deadly dust from the basement of the building, where the lights are stored.

The lights are due to be switched on on November 30, and contractors have been brought in to clean the dust and remove the asbestos.

Denys Townsend, from the town's Christmas lights committee, said that while the asbestos discovery had been a setback, he was confident that the vast majority of the lights would be up in time for the switch-on.

He said: "If we don't get the