A DANGEROUS substance at Marlow Rowing Club's headquarters has further delayed the new £2.5m watersports hub.

Asbestos has been discovered in greater quantities than expected at the clubhouse, which was wrecked by fire in August 2011.

Asbestos-related lung cancer is one of four main diseases the mineral can cause, according to the Health and Safety Executive.

Demolition work at the site under Marlow Bridge is now slated for October 28.

It was due to start a fortnight ago but was put on ice after a potentially dangerous gas pipe was found.

Edward Philips, club secretary, said: "The rowing club site is a complex one, not least because of the Grade I listed bridge and all the utilities that go across it.

"Nasty surprises are inevitable in a build, but knowing that a punch is coming makes it no less painful or unwelcome.

"Finding more asbestos than initial surveys suggested and the unusually stringent demands from the gas utilities were shocks but we can overcome them and demolition should now start towards the end of October."

In September the builders were aware that there was asbestos that required careful removal. This delayed the original demolition start date of September 28.

Officials from National Grid said last week that until a monitoring device can be installed on the gas pipe to check vibration levels, the work would need delaying.

The project, helped by a £1m grant from Sport England, is scheduled to take about ten months to complete.

The new state of the art centre will be a base for training Paralympic rowers and canoeists vying to become gold medal winners at future games.

The club was chosen earlier this year by British Rowing as a centre for the development of an elite plan for para-rowing.

About another £200,000 is needed in donations for the rebuild.

Anyone wishing to help raise funds for the club can email: fundraising@marlowrowingclub.co.uk