THE widow of a former power station worker who died from an asbestos-related illness hopes to trace some of his old workmates after turning to legal experts for help to investigate his death.

Frank John Gargett, who was originally from Trimdon, near Sedgefield, died at the age of 71 from asbestosis, a condition caused by exposure to asbestos materials.

Following his death in November 2015, wife Pauline instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to search for answers about how he developed the illness and whether more should have been done to protect him from the dangers of the material.

They are now keen to hear from anyone who worked with Mr Gargett between 1974 and 1983, when he was a boiler cleaner at Deptford Power Station before he worked at a water treatment site at Woolwich Power Station.

The couple returned to County Durham after his retirement in 2005.

Mrs Gargett said: “Moving back up north meant Frank lost touch with his former workmates, so sadly we were not in contact with anyone when he first became ill.

“Looking back, it was horrible to see how the illness affected him and I would be hugely grateful if anybody who did work with him was able to get in touch and provide information to help us understand how he came to fall ill.”

She said her husband had described his job at Deptford as dirty work but he was never given any breathing protection or safety advice about working around asbestos.

Emma Crowther, who represents Mrs Gargett from Irwin Mitchell's Newcastle office, said: “A case of this nature demonstrates the terrible impact that asbestos exposure can have on a victim, often leading them to develop very serious health problems decades after initial contact with the material.

“Our enquiries have led us to believe that Frank may have been exposed to asbestos during his time at the power stations in London, so we would be keen to develop a clearer picture of the working conditions he faced on a daily basis.

“Any information may prove essential in our efforts to ensure that Pauline can get the answers she deserves in relation to Frank’s death.”

Anyone with information can contact Jennifer Fish on 0191-2790119 or email Jennifer.Fish@IrwinMitchell.com