The heartbroken widow of a plumbing and heating engineer who died from an asbestos-related cancer has launched a bid to find former colleagues who can help explain how her husband contracted the deadly disease.

Michael Rose, known as Mick in his home village of Old Windsor, died aged just 71 in May last year – just six months after first developing symptoms which were later identified as mesothelioma.

Now, his widow, Sue, 70, is urging anyone who worked with Mick to get in touch

A proud father of two and grandfather to four, Mick was a plumbing and heating engineer. He initially serving his apprenticeship at A F Heather Ltd in Old Windsor between September 1963 and June 1967, before moving on to F R Wheeler Ltd, another plumbing firm in Windsor at the time.

From 1970 he worked for the British Overseas Airways Corporation and then later for British Airways as a plumber in the maintenance department at Heathrow.

His widow’s legal team believe he will have had regular, heavy exposure to asbestos during his working life, in common with many tradesmen in similar roles working during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

In November 2017 Mick developed breathing problems, a constant cough, loss of appetite and a lack of energy.

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma after he had died.

Sue said: “Mick may have retired but he still lived a full life. He loved being outdoors, enjoyed his gardening and he lived an active life until he developed breathing problems and a cough out of nowhere.

“His death was sudden and came as a complete shock to us all. When we discovered he had died from mesothelioma, we knew it must have been linked to his job many years ago. It’s left us devastated.”

Melloney Harbutt, senior associate solicitor and a specialist in asbestos-related disease cases at law firm Boyes Turner, said: “In common with many people who contract mesothelioma, he knew nothing of the illness until many years later in his life. Nobody should go to work and be exposed to something which brings about their death but tragically this was the case in this instance, leaving Mick’s family heartbroken.”

She urged anyone who worked with Mick during his career to get in touch by calling 0118 952 7199 or via email at mharbutt@boyesturner.com.