The widow of a former painter and decorator has begun a quest for justice after her husband died from asbestos-related cancer. 

Christine Chiswell, 70, lost her husband, Brian, 72, after he contracted mesothelioma - a cancer which often starts in the lining of lung decades after exposure to the deadly material. 

The couple were married for 42 years and lived in Marmion Avenue, Chingford, for 32 years.

Mrs Chiswell has now hired specialist lawyers to help her trace Brian's former colleagues, particularly when he worked for Leyton-based company J&J Dean. 

He was employed aged 16 as an apprentice in 1955, working in the company's building yard in Ruckholt Road where colleagues routinely cut up strips of asbestos sheeting for fascia and weather boards. 

Brian worked for the now dissolved company until the mid-1970s.

It is thought he may also have come into contact with asbestos while working for Hackney council from the 1980s up until 1999, where he prepared and painted asbestolux partition walls and panelling in hot water cylinder cabinets. 

Symptoms of Mesothelioma first appeared in 2011 when Brian was building a conservatory. 

"He started getting this pain in his side. I thought he had strained his back," said Mrs Chiswell.  

"After tests and x-rays, he was diagnosed in July 2012 and died ten months later.

"It was incredibly difficult to come to terms with his diagnosis and both radiotherapy and chemotherapy took a huge toll on him. 

"I was in a state of disbelief as he was always quite healthy and used to tell me he thought he would make it to 80.

"He knew where it had started from and it wouldn't surprise me if there were more victims out there.

"He has been cheated. His death could have been prevented as the industry knew the dangers long before regulations were in place. 

"Brian was a huge loved husband, father and granddad and two years on from his death we all still miss his presence so much."

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Photo of Brian shortly after the couple moved to Chelsmford in 1969 when he still worked for J&J Dean 

Mrs Chiswell remembers the name of one other employee at J&J Dean, Wally Westall, who lived in Walthamstow at the time and had six children. 

Helen England, specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: "We have seen numerous cases in which people who have worked in sectors such as construction or refurbishment have gone on to develop mesothelioma, often decades after exposure and as a result of employers not taking steps to adequately protect them from potential risks."

Anyone with information about the working conditions at J&J Dean and Hackney council between the 1950s and 1990s should contact Ms England on 0207 421 3856 or helen.england@irwinmitchell.com