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Alan Robinson with his wife Jean this week, shortly before he died on Wednesday morning. He contracted mesothelioma while working at Crosfields. Picture: Mike Boden MBE180308

THE wife of a retired painter and decorator who died yesterday has spoken of her anger that he contracted asbestos-related cancer through his work.

Jean Robinson said words could not describe her emotions when she was told that Alan, her husband of 30 years, had between three to 18 months to live. Mr Robinson, who spoke to the Guardian for this article, died hours before it went to press yesterday (Wednesday).

He was 67 when he was diagnosed last March with the killer disease mesothelioma after suffering from chronic breathing problems for three months.

He had spent 15 years, from 1955 to 1970, working as a painter and decorator for the former Crosfields Works, off Liverpool Road, and it was during this time that he was exposed to asbestos.

Mrs Robinson, who is 56, said: "We saw a consultant at Broadgreen Hospital who told us the bad news that nothing could be done and they were 99 per cent sure it was mesothelioma."

Mr Robinson would follow workers lagging pipes with asbestos before painting them and he remembers the dust could be seen in the atmosphere.

"We ate our dinner and had our brews in that atmosphere and we would shake the dust off our overalls in the locker room," he said during our interview this week.

"We weren't told anything about the dangers or given the proper gear, which would have countered it.

"I am not going to be the only one, this is going to be big."

The couple, of Grafton Street, Bewsey, originally married in 1976 but re-married in October 2006 after two years apart.

Speaking before her husband's death, Mrs Robinson said: "Alan is really easy-going, jovial and caring. We used to go out socialising a lot together but now he can't leave the house and I don't like to leave him alone. I have thought about what it will be like when he isn't here but until it happens you can't comprehend it.

"I feel angry I'm going to lose him before his time and I think it's disgusting that firms kept on using asbestos when they must have known the dangers a long time ago.

"If Crosfields had been aware I would be really, really angry and disappointed with them. He had been doing fine until seven weeks ago but now he can't really do anything for himself as his breathing is getting worse."

Crosfields, which was taken over by Unilever some years ago, paid Alan compensation last year and he also received a small sum from an American firm that made the asbestos.

Unilever was unavailable to provide a comment.

6:32pm Thursday 27th March 2008

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