THE family of a salesman who lost his job while battling terminal bowel cancer have received £250,000 from his former employers’ insurers.

Clive Golledge, 47, was given three years to live after being diagnosed with the illness in May, 2011.

He had been relying on the private health insurance and a scheme run by his employers, Brown Trout publishers, to pay out upon his death ensuring financial stability for his family.

But in July last year the company cancelled the insurance after saying their premiums had risen due to Mr Golledge’s illness.

And four days later he was made redundant ending his eligibility for the company’s death in service benefit scheme which would have paid four times his annual salary to his children.

Mr Golledge, from Wolsingham, County Durham, instructed Muckle LLP to act on his behalf in bringing proceedings against Brown Trout claiming he had been subject to direct discrimination because of his ill health.

Mr Golledge died in hospital from respiratory failure on December 20 last year, but his brother Brett and sister Michelle continued with his case.

On the first morning of the tribunal Brown Trout’s insurers agreed to pay the full £228,000 death in service entitlement to Mr Golledge's children and a further £22,000 towards legal costs.

In a statement Mr Golledge's family said: "Clive was an amazing, caring and funny person.

"He coped with his cancer diagnosis and the eventuality of it in such an amazing way.

“He was highly conscientious and worked all the way through his treatment.”

Paul Johnstone, partner in Muckle LLP’s employment team, said: “Mr Golledge’s concern about losing his death in service benefit created additional undue stress at an incredibly difficult time when he and his family were already under immense pressure.

“There are important lessons to be learned from this case; employers should make reasonable adjustments to help disabled employees, who are terminally ill, to maintain the employment benefits that they and their families are legitimately entitled to receive.”

Jack Straw, managing director of Brown Trout, praised Mr Golledge as an exemplary employee of 10 years who will be missed.

Mr Straw said Mr Golledge was made redundant after Brown Trout lost a big client, not because of his cancer, and the firm worked with the insurance company to get the eventual pay out.

Mr Straw said: “Brown Trout was not found liable in any way by the court. “We are so glad that Clive’s family has the benefit of this insurance payment and wish them all the best in the future.”