Fine after Legionnaires' deaths

Three people died after contracting legionnaires' disease

A plastics company has been fined £70,000 after three people died from Legionnaires' disease.

The outbreak happened at IMCO Plastics in Glastonbury, Somerset.

Three visitors to the B&Q garden centre, next to the factory, contracted the disease.

Virginia Wall, 75, Mike Caroll, 72, and Rita Spencer, 68, all died from Legionnaires' in 1998.

A total of 12 people who visited Glastonbury in September 1998 contracted the disease - eight made a full recovery, but teacher Andrew Parfitt suffered brain damage.

The judge at Bristol Crown Court, Mr Justice Gray, said there had been "lamentable" breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

He added that the fine would have been higher under normal circumstances, but he did not want to put 112 factory employees' jobs at risk.

"It would compound the tragedy, and I can't think the victims and their relatives would want that," he said.