DIY enthusiasts are being warned to watch out for deadly asbestos in their homes.
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, whose members see the tragic effects of asbestos-related disease, is highlighting the dangers associated with having the substance in sheds, garages and homes.
Asbestos was commonly used in buildings put up or refurbished between 1950 and 1980.
It is dangerous when damaged, disturbed or dismantled.
When it is broken down into small dust particles and breathed in, the tiny fibres lead to fatal tumours in the chest, lung cancer and diseases such as asbestosis.
The damage can take from 15 to 60 years to become apparent.
David Marshall, the association's president, said:
"Anyone who suspects there are asbestos products or materials containing asbestos in their home or outbuildings should seek urgent advice from their council's environmental health department."
Blue and brown asbestos - the two most dangerous types - are now banned entirely in the UK. But it is only since 1999 that all forms of asbestos in building materials have been outlawed.
White asbestos is restricted to limited use in certain manufacturing processes.
People are urged to be wary of:
* Removing roof felt, old floor and ceiling tiles, textured paints and plasters.
* Removing partition boards
* Removing asbestos cement products compressed into flat or corrugated sheets and used as roofing or wall cladding
* Stripping textured coatings.