Labourer Believed To Have Been Exposed To Hazardous Material While Working At WH Woods And Co In 1970s

The widow of a labourer is appealing to his former workmates for help following his death from asbestos-related cancer.

Sharen Rice has instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate after her husband, Anthony, died from mesothelioma aged 68.

Sharen, 54, believes her husband, who was known as Tony, was exposed to asbestos while working at Hastings-based building firm WH Woods and Co between 1970 and 1974.   

Irwin Mitchell is appealing to Tony’s former colleagues at WH Woods and Co to provide the law firm with information about working conditions.

Lacey St James, specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing Sharen said: “Through our work representing the sufferers of asbestos-related disease, we are well aware of the common use of asbestos in the building trade and that a significant number of people have been exposed to the hazardous substance during their working life, decades ago.

“Sharen is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her best friend and now wants to find the answers as to how Tony became exposed to asbestos.

“Irwin Mitchell would like to hear from any of Tony’s colleagues from his time at WH Woods and Co who may be able to to provide the crucial information which may help provide Sharen with the answers she and her family deserves.”

Tony started working for WH Woods and Co in Hastings before moving to Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Here he was working on helping to build homes where workers would cut and drill asbestos boards on site.   

Tony started to feel unwell with chest pains in May 2015. He was referred to a consultant and sent for an X-ray before having fluid drained from his lung. Tissue samples were taken and Tony was diagnosed with mesothelioma that November, just days before his 68th birthday. He died on 1 April, 2016.

Sharen said: “Tony’s diagnosis and his death just five months later was such a shock to us all. To see my husband go from a fit and healthy man to a shadow of himself as the cancer took hold was heart-breaking.

“My family and I have so many questions about how Tony came to be exposed to asbestos and, while it cannot change what happened to him, we hope the answers will give us some peace and allow us to try and move on.”

Anyone with information regarding the working conditions at WH Wood and Co in the 1970s should contact Lacey St James on 0203 040 3445 or email lacey.stjames@irwinmitchell.com

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling asbestos-related disease cases.