FORMER workers at Rosyth Dockyard could help establish if the presence of asbestos on two Royal Navy warships in the 1970s caused a woman's death in Plymouth.

A lawyer specialising in industrial disease claims is investigating whether the mineral was used on the carrier HMS Ark Royal and frigate HMS Gurkha.

James Walsh, of GA Solicitors, is representing the family of a Plymouth woman who died of mesothelioma, an incurable form of lung cancer that is linked to asbestos exposure.

During the 1970s, her husband was in the Royal Navy and was based at both Rosyth and Devonport, and worked on those ships.

It's thought that the woman, who did not work at either dockyard, may have suffered from secondary exposure – there have been examples of partners being exposed to lethal asbestos fibres just from washing work clothes.

Mr Walsh is trying to establish if asbestos was on the ships and told the Press: "I'd like to hear from anyone who served on either vessel or worked in either dockyard between 1973 and 1976, specifically if they were on HMS Gurkha at any time between January 1973 and October 1974 or HMS Ark Royal between February 1975 and October 1976."

In the 1970s, the yards were still owned by the Government. Privatisation came in the 1990s and both sites are now owned by Babcock.

If inhaled, asbestos fibres can get embedded in the lungs and cause asbestos-related diseases which are normally fatal.

A bitter legacy from Fife's heavy industry past, mesothelioma is linked commonly to sectors that were prevalent here, such as mining, construction and shipbuilding.

It affects 2,500 people a year and has been described as a "ticking timebomb" because of how long it takes victims to be affected.

Mr Walsh, who has been handling similar cases for 25 years, explained: "It's sad that we're still getting cases like this coming through. It has what they call a latency period.

"If someone came to me and said they were exposed to asbestos yesterday and they were really struggling, it wouldn't be because of the asbestos.

"Doctors say it takes a minimum of 10 years to work through the body, in many cases it's 20, 30, 40 or 50 years, that's why it's still a problem."

John MacDougall, the former Central Fife MP who used to work as a caulker burner at Rosyth Dockyard, died in 2008 after a long battle with the disease.

His daughter, Julie, set up a trust in his name to campaign for better treatment for sufferers and government funding into more research of mesothelioma.

A naturally-occurring mineral, asbestos was used widely in building materials – until it was discovered how harmful it was – due to its fire-resistant and insulating properties; it was also cheap, strong and widely available.

Blue and brown asbestos were banned in 1985 and a ban on the use of white asbestos followed in 1999.

If you have any information that can help, you can email james.walsh@GAsolicitors.com or call 01752 203500.