Angela Antrobus's husband, Tony, died from mesothelioma in 2005 after years of working as a joiner.

He came into the contact with asbestos throughout his working life but sadly died before he reached retirement.

Angela, 64, of Fox Lane, Waverton, is now working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to launch the campaign Asbestos – the hidden killer, which is aimed at reducing the 20 deaths among tradesmen that happen every week.

Speaking about the day she was told Tony had mesothelioma, she said: "It was the most dreadful moment in my life.

"He was told he had 18 months to live, but he died within three months.

"I feel cheated of the life we had planned. He worked hard all his life, but did not live long enough to enjoy his retirement.

"He lost a lot of weight and it was heartbreaking to see him in so much pain. He said it was like trying to breathe with a lump of concrete on his chest.

"Tony wasn't aware of the dangers he faced but today's tradesmen should be. More than 500,000 buildings in the UK contain the deadly material which tradesmen will come across during maintenance and refurbishment work.

"It is important that employers educate their staff about the dangers of asbestos and the proper precautions taken to reduce the risk. It is such a devastating illness. It's a horrendously painful death and should not happen to anyone."

She added: "You don't think it will happen to you. People who die of asbestos related disease are missing out on life. My message to young tradesmen today is to make sure you take the proper precautions, think of your wife and children. A moment's care now means you can enjoy your life with them.

"We had planned our retirement. We had a caravan and were looking forward to travelling around the country and visiting places we had not been to. It was ironic that on what would have been Tony's 65th birthday I sold the caravan that we planned to tour in."

Tony and Angela had known each other for 28 years and lived together for the last 20. They married just days before his death in 2005 in a bedside ceremony at the cottage hospital where he was being looked after.

Richard Jarvis, consultant in health protection for the Health Protection Agency in Cheshire and Merseyside, said: "Once a mesothelioma has developed it is very difficult and often impossible to treat or cure. In order to prevent inhaling asbestos fibres it is important to always consider the possibility that asbestos may be present before starting work, and make use of personal protective equipment.

"Following the HSE advice right from starting out in a trade will help reduce the possibility of breathing in asbestos and will prevent illness in later life."

Research shows many workers, particularly tradesmen, think they are not personally at risk of exposure to asbestos and the diseases it can cause. They think because asbestos was banned many years ago, the problem has been dealt with and therefore it is not relevant to them.

However, asbestos still presents a real and relevant risk to plumbers, joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers. Asbestos may be present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.

These buildings all need repair and maintenance work from time to time and when the asbestos fibres are disturbed, for example by drilling or cutting, they are likely to be inhaled as a deadly dust.

If asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it cannot be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Asbestos sprayed coatings, board or lagging on pipes and boilers should only be tackled by licensed workers.

For a free asbestos information pack call 0845 345 0055 or visit www.hse.gov.uk/hiddenkiller