The family of a man who died after being exposed to asbestos while working in Ipswich have won a legal battle and recovered the costs of his end of life care.

Percy Bird, from Woodbridge, spent a decade working for the British Sugar refinery in Ipswich, from 1980 to 1990.

Two months before his death, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

He died in September 2020, aged 85.

Now, legal experts have managed to acquire a settlement sum for Mr Bird's loved ones, after the company admitted that his exposure to the material was likely to have occurred during his time working at the factory.

Before he passed away, Mr Bird gave instructions to asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate where he could have come into contact with the hazardous substance.

After he died, his family continued the investigation.

He was part of the maintenance team that worked on new or repairs to existing pipework and remembered having to remove asbestos lagging from pipework in order to gain access. He would then sweep up the asbestos dust and put it in the bin.

On July 16, 2020, Mr Bird began to suffer chest pains. He was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was admitted for tests.

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma on July 31, 2020.  He received care from St Elizabeth Hospice before his death.

At the time of his death, Mr Bird had been married to his wife Patricia, 87, for 62 years. 

He was a father of four, as well as grandfather to 10 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Patricia said: “When Percy was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it was an awful shock for all of us and we struggled to comprehend what was happening.

“As his illness progressed, he struggled to eat and lost his appetite so he became very frail.  Our children helped me round the house more and more as Percy deteriorated so quickly.  It was horrible to see him go downhill and know there was nothing we could do.

“When we were told he had up to two weeks left, it was devastating as he thought he had another two to three years to live.  He had even been planning what to do with his time, which was to get a motorhome for us and tour the UK. Sadly, that never happened.

“We started getting help from the hospice and we made sure someone was with him the whole time.  We were glad that he was able to remain at home until the end, as that was what he wanted.

“When Percy died, I hadn’t even got my head around his diagnosis so to then have to deal with losing him was incredibly difficult.

“The support provided by St Elizabeth Hospice was invaluable to us and I’m grateful that we can give something back to the staff there.  It will help future families in the same way that we have been helped.

“We’re also thankful that the case has now settled so we can honour Percy’s memory; it’s the least he deserved.”

The costs of Percy’s care provided by St Elizabeth Hospice were also recovered, earning a funding boost of more than £1,700 for the charity.

Rosemary Giles, the specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who supported Percy’s family and attended the hospice with Julie, said: “We’re pleased to have helped secure a settlement for Percy’s family while also being able to recover the costs that St Elizabeth Hospice incurred while caring for him in his last days.

“While nothing will ever make up for the family’s devastating loss, they’re grateful that they can help the hospice continue to carry out its vital work in helping other families going through what they have.

“Meanwhile, their story is a stark reminder that asbestos is still a very real danger in the workplace.  It is of the utmost importance that employers keep their workers safe.”