The widow of a former Chatham Dockyard worker is appealing for his former colleagues to come forward as she attempts to sue the Ministry of Defence.

Tony Bell, 66, died from lung cancer in December 2011 and his wife Janet is now hoping to claim compensation from the MOD.

Mrs Bell believes her husband was exposed to asbestos while working at the Dockyard as an apprentice and fitter from 1961 until 1974.

Mr Bell worked on board ships containing large amounts of asbestos and worked beside insulation engineers who were using the deadly material.

Asbestos was used throughout the dockyard for fire-proofing and heat insulation. Former workers have described asbestos “being in the air” and “dusty asbestos footprints”.

The legacy is that Medway has become a hotspot for the fatal disease of mesothelioma - a type of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

The disease can lay dormant for decades and take anything from 10 to 40 years to develop from the time of actual exposure. There is no cure.

Mrs Bells’ lawyers claim her husband was never warned of the dangers of asbestos while working at the Dockyard and was exposed to asbestos dust without being provided with a mask or any other protective equipment.

Lawyer Paul Meehan, an industrial disease specialist at OH Parsons, said: “Janet and her family have been left devastated by what has happened.

"It is vital that people who worked with the MOD at Chatham Dockyard or who have first-hand knowledge of the Dockyard in the 60s and 70s, come forward in order to give statements about working conditions there.

“The risks to health from exposure to asbestos dust have been well known for decades. The MOD should have been well aware of the risks of exposing Tony and his fellow workers to asbestos dust at the time.

“Had they taken appropriate safety measures, Tony and his family would have been spared the effects of this devastating illness.

“We are interested in talking to anyone who was employed at the Chatham Dockyard in the 1960s or 1970s. Whether or not they knew Tony Bell, they may well be able to provide information that would assist with the compensation claim.”

Anyone that can help should contact Paul Meehan on 0207 395 8560 or 07554 451918.