Could Former Colleagues In The Midlands Have The Answers?

The family of a father of four from Loughborough who died from asbestos-related cancer are appealing for help from the public in discovering how the former sheet metal worker could have come into contact with the deadly substance that claimed his life.

Brian Selby, 81, died on 30 June 2019, after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, (a cancer of the lungs associated with asbestos exposure) in February of the same year.

With Brian having passed away, his family is continuing his search for answers with the legal team at Irwin Mitchell. Brian’s widow Aileen is now calling for any of Brian’s former workmates in the Midlands to come forward if they can assist with the ongoing investigation.

Expert Opinion

“Brian’s family and his widow Aileen understandably remain devastated by his death.

Brian worked in several locations across the country, so former colleagues could prove vital in the family’s search for the truth in memory of their husband, dad and grandad. We’re determined to help Brian’s family and in sharing his story, we hope to jog someone’s memory and warn others of the ongoing risk from this silent killer.” Nick Woods - Associate Paralegal

A native of Loughborough, Brian worked for Darlington Insulation (known as Darchem) from 1967-1994, on sites across the country as a sheet metal worker and site supervisor. Based in the company’s Birmingham premises, his first job was at Drakelow Power Station near Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire but he also spent time at Rolls-Royce in Coventry, and the GEC factories in Coventry and Leicester.

Brian’s specialist skills were called upon as far afield as Germany and Bangladesh too, although he also worked on contracts in Peterhead and Aberdeen in Scotland and in Pembrokeshire.

Aileen Selby, Brian’s widow, said: “Even though Brian had been unwell for a number of years the diagnosis of mesothelioma came as a devastating shock to me and the rest of the family.

“Brian fitted sheet metal ducting and where the pipes were lagged with asbestos insulation and in a poor state of repair he would strip off the old lagging and put new in its place. He was hands-on and took great pride in his work, even when promoted to site supervisor.

“He travelled from Loughborough to Birmingham with Barry Forster, Mick Downing, Bernard Smith and another chap I knew only as “Pinky”. Although I believe they are sadly no longer alive, I hope others may remember them and the work they did together over the years.

“When Brian came home, his overalls would be absolutely caked in asbestos dust and I would wash them at the end of the week.

“It’s still hard to believe Brian’s gone but we really want to find out how and where Brian was exposed to asbestos and to warn any of his former colleagues of the dangers.

“If anyone who remembers Brian could get in touch with us, it would mean a lot to the family and be a big help in getting to the bottom of what actually happened.”

Anyone with information that could assist with the case is asked to contact Nick Woods at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors on 0114 274 4420 or email nick.woods@irwinmitchell.com  

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling asbestos-related disease cases