A FAMILY devastated by the death of a father and mother after they were exposed to asbestos from a power station is appealing for the public’s help.

Lilian Radley, formerly of Marlborough Road, in Chingford, died in September this year from mesothelioma, a disease which has only one known cause – exposure to asbestos.

The family are now searching for the former co-workers of the late Frank Radley, whose overalls Mrs Radley would wash after he came home from work.

A post-mortem revealed it was the exposure to the asbestos in these overalls which killed Mrs Radley.

Mr Radley was exposed to toxic levels of asbestos while working as a boiler house engineer at Brimsdown Power Station in Enfield between 1958 and 1980.

He worked for the British Electricity Authority, which became the Central Electricity Authority, and then the Central Electricity Generating Board.

His job also took him to West Ham Power Station in Canning Town and Brunswick Wharf Power Station, near Blackwall, before he retired in 1983.

He was exposed to the deadly particles from the continuous lagging work carried out to the extensive pipework in the power stations and died in 2011.

Mrs Ridley had been having problems with breathlessness this year, finding it increasingly harder to walk, and after a trip to the doctor, she found out her devastating diagnosis.

She was told she had mesothelioma in July this year, and the fast-acting disease killed her less than two months later on September 9.

Before her death, she instructed expert industrial disease lawyers to investigate how her late husband was exposed to asbestos dust.

She also sought to find out if more could have been done by his former employers to protect him from the lethal substance.

Industrial disease specialist at Hodge Jones & Allen law firm, Andrew James, is representing the family.

He said: “Cases involving wives or daughters who washed workers’ clothing are becoming increasingly more common.

“Lilian died because her late husband’s employer exposed him to asbestos at work and failed to protect him and his family from this deadly dust.

“Clearly, this should not have happened.

“The dangers of asbestos were well-known to Mr Ridley’s employers during the years of his employment.

“The courts have previously held that employers should have been aware of the dangers to family members caused by workers bringing home asbestos dust on clothing since 1965 at the earliest.”

The Radley family is asking anyone with information to contact Andrew James at Hodge Jones & Allen on 020 7874 8458 or ajames@hja.net.