THE Health and Safety Executive has rapped contractors after an asbestos dust cloud drifted over Hamble's famous yachting marina.

It follows an incident when contractors at Marina Developments set about demolishing the former Fairey Swordsman shed, causing a cloud of brick and asbestos dust to form.

Now a report by the Health and Safety Executive claims that contractors should not have used bulldozers to demolish the building's walls and instead they should have done the work by hand, lessening the risk of a dust cloud forming.

A HSE inspector also decided that the work should not have been carried out on a Saturday because the area was at its busiest with many people working on boats moored in the marina.

No action will be taken against either the contractors or Marina Developments Ltd.

This has angered architect Paul Jones who was spring-cleaning his yacht at the marina when the dust drifted over.

Mr Jones said: "My yacht and car were covered in the dust, I was breathing it in and it had a horrible taste.

"It happened on a Saturday and I reported it to the HSE on the following Monday but it took until Thursday before an inspector visited the site.

"I'm disgusted with the HSE report and disgusted with the length of time it has taken them to respond to a request. It seems they will only take action if someone has been killed.

"I'm very worried about my health but I'm also concerned about the hundreds of other people who were walking past and working on their boats."

Breathing asbestos dust can cause asbestos-silicosis.

A spokesman for Marina Developments declined to make any comment.