THE nephew of a man who died of a deadly asbestos cancer joined other victims at an event to raise awareness of the condition.

Tony Holt, whose uncle Terence McCarthy died from mesothelioma in March, was among those to attend a meeting addressed by Kate Green MP, Shadow Minister for Disabled People and Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston.

The meeting, which took place in Barbirolli Square, Manchester, was aimed at raising funds towards research into mesothelioma and was organised by the Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group.

Mr McCarthy, who was from Freetown, Bury, had been fit and healthy all his life, but was diagnosed with mesothelioma last year after falling ill with a chest infection.

His condition had been caused by his exposure to asbestos 40 years ago, while he was working as a postman.

Within a matter of months of his diagnosis, Mr McCarthy died at Bolton Hospice in March, at the age of 66.

Mr Holt, aged 53, of Jericho, admits he did not know much about mesothelioma before his uncle was diagnosed with the condition.

He said: “It’s very upsetting having to watch someone go through what my uncle had to go through.

“Mesothelioma is something people are very passionate about, but until it affects you, you don’t get into the nuances of it.

“It’s vital to raise more awareness of this terrible condition.

“The event was very good and I got to speak to others who experienced similar loss.”

Health exeprts say asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma, with up to nine out of ten cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos fibres

More than 2,500 people are diagnosed with the condition in the UK each year.