A TYLDESLEY man has been awarded more than £5,000 damages -- 30 years after asbestos damaged his lungs.

William Skinner, 52, of Rixton Drive, developed scarring on his lungs after handling asbestos in the manufacture of fish fryers as a young apprentice.

But Mr Skinner only found out about his illness three years ago while having a check-up at Leigh Infirmary.

He does not yet suffer from any symptoms but in future could develop asbestosis or cancer.

The father-of-two, who also has two grandchildren, said: "I feel like I have a sentence hanging over my head. Although I am all right at the moment and can do just about everything without it affecting me, it might not always be the case."

His settlement of £5,250 is a provisional sum and at any time he can go back to court for more money should symptoms develop.

But Mr Skinner said money could not replace his peace of mind, saying: "The cash is not really what I was after. I just wanted to recognise my conditions in the courts.

"A company cannot just get away with being negligent and allowing a 17-year-old trainee to use asbestos without protection. We used to cut it, drill it and file it. At the time I had no idea I was handling a life-threatening material."

Now a self-employed electrician, Mr Skinner worked with asbestos for three years at the company in London before he left to live in Tyldesley.

He worked on all types of catering equipment putting asbestos sheets between metal.

The medical condition he now has, known as pleural plaques, was only picked up when he was having a check-up because he had been diagnosed with diabetes.

And his solicitor Pauline Chandler issued a warning: "I have specialised in industrial disease cases for more than 26 years and this is the only case I have dealt with where an asbestos-related disease has been linked to catering equipment.

"Anyone who dismantles this type of equipment might not even know the asbestos is there, so they must be warned of the potential dangers."