THE family of a man who died after being exposed to asbestos could claim six-figures in compensation because of a landmark ruling.

Despite the whole might of the insurance industry against them, three families, including the Eddlestons of Clitheroe and Rishton, successfully secured the legal victory.

Premier Construction employee Arthur Edd-leston, a former erector, foreman and joiner, died of mesothelioma in July 1996.

His wife Joan Eddleston, of Low Moor, Clitheroe and her daughter, Anita Gayle Fleming, of Ullswater Close, Rishton, are claiming £178,000.

Mr Eddleston was emp-loyed by Premier Con-struction Co Ltd from 1974 to 1994 and exposed to asbestos from the start of his employment up until 1982.

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lungs, invariably linked to asbestos exposure – in March 1996.

Since 2003, about 9,000 people have died in the UK from the disease which is notorious for its slowness to develop, incurability, and for the agony suffered by its victims.

It can be triggered by exposure to a single asbestos fibre, can take up to 40 years to develop and due to the intensity of workplace asbestos expo-sure in the 1960s and 1970s is currently killing up to 2,000 people a year.

The Eddlestons’ and two other familes’ epic High Court dispute stretched over more than 40 days – as insurers claimed they should not be held liable for asbestos exposure which happened so long ago.

However, in a ruling which will cost the insurance industry millions, Mr Justice Burton handed victory to thousands of mesothe-lioma victims or the loved ones they left behind.

His decisive ruling was that liability arises at the time of asbestos exposure and not, as insurers claimed, at the point when the tumour actually develops Insurers were granted permission to challenge the ruling.

However, the judge said he was "confident" his decision will be upheld. The other two families spearheading the cam-paign with the Eddlestons were the O'Farrells of Merseyside and the Screach family of Nottinghamshire.