The devoted wife of a man who died from an horrific asbestos-related cancer is appealing for his former work colleagues to help specialist lawyers investigate why he was allowed to come into contact with the deadly dust.

Barbara Worden lost her husband Robert, known as Bob, on November 10, 2009, aged 77 after a two-year battle with the debilitating disease asbestosis, which is caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mrs Worden, of Oakworth , Keighley , believes her husband came into contact with the lethal substance while working as a skilled moulder at George Hattersley and Sons, Sealand Engineering, Jonas Wells Ltd, Prince Smith and Stells and Marston (IMI) Radiators.

She has now instructed industrial disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell in her battle for justice and to find more information about the working conditions at the Keighley-based companies, where he worked between 1961 up to the late 1980s.

Mrs Worden, 69, said: “Anyone who has lost a loved one to this disease will know that it is an excruciatingly painful one, for which there is no cure.

“Bob had terrible problems breathing and he’d get stressed out and frustrated about not being able to do the things he loved like walking and gardening.

“I still really miss Bob and always will but I’m confident that we can get the justice he deserves with the help of local people who worked at the same companies he did.”

Mrs Worden, who had been married to Bob since 2005, said he first showed symptoms of asbestosis in December 2007 when he started struggling to walk up the hills near their home, despite being a keen walker.

In June 2008 he suffered two blackouts and doctors diagnosed an irregular heartbeat and he had a pacemaker fitted.

However, he continued to feel breathless and a month after his heart operation he was taken back to Airedale Hospital in Steeton for more tests. Doctors confirmed he was suffering from asbestosis.

Anyone with information should contact Ian Bailey, a specialist asbestos lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, on 0870 1500 100 or e-mail ian.bailey@irwinmitchell.com.