Housing chiefs have reassured residents after asbestos was removed from two blocks of flats in Glasgow.

Traces of the deadly fibres were discovered in two blocks on Crow Road during renovation work earlier this year.

The reassurances by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA), which manages the flats, come after a pensioner raised concerns about safety. He said residents should not be living in the flats while the asbestos was removed.

Charlie Pitkedthli, a 75-year-old retired HGV driver who is a tenant in one of the affected blocks, said: “I’ve had two heart attacks and a stroke, and I’m worried about the asbestos.

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“ I’m not worried mainly about myself, it’s people who are older, and younger than me living here.

“There are some kids here and you have to think about their futures too, what if they were exposed?

“It’s a health hazard.

“They can’t be doing the work with asbestos, with people still here.”

Residents, who are both tenants of Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and home owners, were sent letters telling them traces of the chemical was found in floor tiles and the panels would have to be replaced one storey at a time.

The towers at numbers 843 and 861 house hundreds of residents who remained in their homes while specialist staff from contractor City Building carried out the work on the landings of the seven-storey and two-storey blocks.

Areas were sealed off and residents were told not to use landings at certain points in the day while work was being carried out.

A GHA and City Building spokeswoman said air sampling was carried out during the work and was found to have a zero rating for asbestos.

She added: “Preparatory work for new flooring in the communal areas was carried out quickly and safely in September as part of a major £600,000 project of improvements at the flats which will see foyers and drying areas upgraded and new lighting and flooring installed.

“We would like to reassure residents that we would never allow work like this to go ahead without rigorous precautions being put in place.

“We are happy to meet with any residents who have any concerns to give them any extra reassurance they may need.”

Even minimal exposure to asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma – a cancer of the lung lining- for which there is no cure.

Phyllis Craig, chairwoman of asbestos charity Clydeside Action on Asbestos, said her charity “believes that there is a risk of being diagnosed with an asbestos condition in the future if a person has sustained any level of exposure to asbestos.”

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She said according to the law it is GHA’s responsibility to ensure residents are protected from the chemicals, however it was difficult to know whether tenants in this case are being put at risk.

She said: “We do know that there is no level of exposure to asbestos which is considered to be safe.

“It is a question the tenants can raise with GHA and if they are not happy, and believe that the work does not comply with the regulations, they can raise their concerns with the Health and Safety Executive who would be the enforcing authority.”