THE son of a woman who died from an asbestos-related industrial disease after washing her husband’s clothes and making their bed has launched a landmark case against an energy firm.

Solicitors have begun legal proceedings after an inquest at Teesside Coroner’s Court last September concluded that Mary Pointer, 86, died of mesothelioma, an aggressive disease which attacks the lining of the lungs, in April last year.

Before her death, Mrs Pointer, of Saltburn, instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers to investigate how she had been exposed to the deadly dust.

Mrs Pointer explained she had regularly washed the work overalls of her husband, Ronald, who had worked for the Central Electricity Generating Board at the Marchwood Power Station, in Southampton, in the boiler room and as a turbine operator from 1955 to 1970.

She said he wore trousers and a heavy coat which was layered with asbestos dust which she shook every day for about 10 years.

The family didn’t have a plumbed in bath or shower, so Mr Pointer, who died in 1999, would sometimes head straight to bed with asbestos dust in his hair.

The dust would also get onto the bedding, which when shook before cleaning would also send clouds of asbestos dust into the air.

After issuing appeals for information to Mr Pointer's former colleagues, solicitors Irwin Mitchin have launched legal action on behalf of her son against energy giant Eon.

Eon, previously called PowerGen, was allocated the power station when the electricity board was privatised in 1989, before the station was decommissioned.

The couple's son, Darryl, 50, said he had been distraught to see his mother rapidly deteriorate and go through pain at the end of her life.

He said: “She was a devoted wife and mother, but she was not warned of the dangers of asbestos and shouldn’t have been in a position to be exposed to the deadly dust.

“Where were the warnings of the dangers of asbestos dust?

“It won’t just be my mum; it will be affecting other people’s loved ones, too.

“No amount of money will make up for the loss of my mum, but we hope that by issuing court proceedings we will be able to secure justice for her and honour her memory after losing her in such a terrible way."

An Eon spokeswoman confirmed the firm had received legal proceedings but said it was “inappropriate” to discuss further details.