A NEW report has shown Hillingdon to have the fourth highest asbestos related death rate in London.

The Health and Safety Executive report shows there have been 135 deaths in the borough between 1981 and 2005.

The biggest asbestos related killer is mesothelioma- a cancer caused by breathing in the deadly fibres.

Across London 2,663 men were killed by the disease, with only Havering, Newham, and Dagenham and Redbridge boroughs topping Hillingdon's total.

Every week around the country around 20 tradesmen are believed to die from asbestos related diseases.

Earlier this year the Gazette ran a story showing how the family of Edward 'Ted' Hart, who worked at Parkfield Instruments in Trout Road, West Drayton, were trying to trace his former colleagues after he passed away of mesothelioma.

There are a number of conditions which are thought to be caused by inhaling asbestos, and they can take a number of years to develop.

Mesothelioma most commonly occurs in the lining of the lungs and is extremely rare in the absence of exposure to asbestos.

For more information on a campaign to raise awareness of the disease visit www.hse.gov.uk/hiddenkiller

Have your family been affected by an asbestos related disease? E-mail dancoombs@trinitysouth.co.uk