A DEADLY legacy of industrial heritage has been revealed after a widow was given £85,000 following her husband's asbestos-related death.

Figures have revealed that Teesside accounts for one in ten deaths from the disease in Britain.

The situation is expected to get worse as more cases come to light years after workers were exposed to the deadly material.

The extent of the area's industrial past was revealed after the compensation was awarded to a Redcar widow.

Her 74-year-old husband developed mesothelioma, a cancer commonly linked to asbestos, after he worked for chemical company ICI for 33 years.

The unnamed worker, who died in February 2002, had been exposed to asbestos in his work as a plumber and welder from 1953 to 1966. His job included removing lagging from pipes.

His solicitors said that during this time, he was given no protection and no warnings by his employer as to the risk of asbestos exposure.

His widow, who does not wish to be named, took legal action and has now received £85,000 in compensation from ICI. The scale of the problem emerged as the latest case was settled out of court.

Legal executive Helen Martin, from Archers Law, of Stockton, said figures showed that Teesside has one of the worst records for mesothelioma deaths.

She said: "Due to strong industrial links, Teesside already accounts for almost ten per cent of these deaths in Great Britain, and this is set to rise considerably."

ICI declined to comment.

For a long time, the dangers of asbestos use were not widely understood, but the annual total of mesothelioma deaths has increased from 153 cases in 1968 to 1,862 in 2002.

Occupations with the highest risk of asbestos exposure are metal plate workers, vehicle body builders, plumbers, gas fitters, carpenters, electricians, sheet metal and construction workers, electrical engineers, plant operators and production fitters.