8:15am Friday 17th August 2007
By Alex Ross
THE widow of an Iron Acton man who died from asbestos-related cancer is calling on his former work colleagues to support her legal battle for compensation.
Sheila Alsop and her husband Lionel were only months into retirement when Lionel was diagnosed and later died at the age of 66 from mesothelioma.
Sheila believes Lionel contracted the cancer while working as an apprentice carpenter for Wilkins and Coventry, in Bristol, between 1953 and 1963, and has launched a lawsuit for compensation.
She told the Gazette: "My husband was a fit man who had his life cut short because he was exposed years ago to asbestos.
"We had just bought a camper man before he was diagnosed and hoped to spend our retirement travelling all over the country.
"Now, not only has his life been cut short but so has mine. We were so close and I badly miss him each day."
Lionel had been married to Sheila for 43 years and left behind two sons.
He had moved to Iron Acton in 1982 to finish his final working days as a driver for Chipping Sodbury police before retiring in January 2003.
But in April 2003, he began showing symptoms of mesothelioma after he experienced breathing difficulties. Three months later doctors confirmed he did have the cancer.
And despite a brave fight against the illness Mr Alsop died in August 2005.
Sheila said: "I hope to win compensation to soften the hard blow of the loss of Lionel and to raise the awareness of asbestos which still lies in many old buildings today.
"I would never want to see anybody go through what my husband has been through."
Her solicitor Kim Barrett, of Sheffield-based Irwin Mitchell, is now preparing court proceedings against the insurance company that represented Wilkins and Coventry, which no longer exists.
Anyone who believes they can help can call Irwin Mitchell solicitors on 0870 1500 100.
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