Mrs Ann Macpherson, whose husband died of the same disease in 1995, now has mesothelioma.

Derek Macpherson worked at an aluminium processing plant near Banbury, in Oxfordshire.

His 57-year-old widow is one of a growing number of people who have become ill from asbestos dust unwittingly brought home by other members of the family.

Time bomb

Mrs Macpherson was diagnosed last year and has retired from her job at Horton General Hospital, in Banbury, last October on grounds of ill health.

She pursued a claim against her husband's employers, backed by her union, Unison.

Mrs Macpherson, who has one daughter, said working as a medical secretary had helped her cope with losing her husband.

"I had just started a new job as a secretary when I had to give it up because I became too ill to carry on.