Education bosses today reassured parents their children's health was not under threat from asbestos found in two Oxford schools.

Work has been carried out at Cheney Upper School, in Headington, over the summer holidays to remove the material.

At Bayswater Middle School, in Barton, ceilings have been treated at a cost of 180,000 and pupils and staff have been warned not to damage them.

Bayswater has been identified has having the most extensive problem in the city. Headteacher Wally Ryde said they had been told the fibre was safe as long as the ceilings were not holed or damaged.

"We are going to have to do a considerable amount of work over the next financial year to rectify the problem.

"There is nothing that needs fixing at the moment, but it does mean regular monitoring." Janet Minot, deputy head at Cheney, said: "Key areas did have asbestos and there has been a continuous programme to remove it. Everywhere had been sealed off and that work is now finished. There is, and never has been, any threat to people in the building."

Education chiefs say any removal work would always takes place during holidays.

Deputy chief education officer Roy Smith said: "Asbestos is not a problem if it remains concealed. "At Bayswater we have identified where it is and have altered a building programme to work around that. There is absolutely no risk to children or adults and as far as we are concerned this is not a problem.

"We will not have to move entire schools out if asbestos has to be removed. We have always said disruption will be minimal at all times."

He said the county council had strict health and safety guidelines when dealing with asbestos. But one concerned parent, who did not want to be named, said: "I really hope they know what they are doing. You can't take things like that lightly.

"With all the building work that will go on, if the change to two-tier goes ahead, they have to ensure they know exactly where this stuff is or this will put lives in danger."

The disease asbestosis affects the lungs and has similar traits to lung cancer. Many buildings had the fire resitant material in them before the threat to health was dis- covered.