An area in Kent has been listed among the UK’s hotspots for male cancer deaths linked to suspected exposure to asbestos at work.

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have revealed at least 504 men in Medway died from mesothelioma, a cancer which is usually linked to the hazardous substance.

The statistics detail the number of deaths linked with the disease in the 40 years up to 2022.

Medway had the third most number of male mesothelioma deaths in the UK between 1981 and 2022, with Plymouth having the most at 648.

The Towns have links to industries including shipbuilding, which in the past used materials containing asbestos before it was banned.

Industrial disease expert Daniel Easton, who is an executive committee member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), says there could be even more deaths than shown by the new figures.

He explained: “The figures do not tell the whole story. There is another strikingly similar disease, asbestos-related lung cancer, which is just as prevalent as mesothelioma, and also arises due to exposure to asbestos at work.

“The two cancers are so alike that doctors can mistake them for each other.

“But there is a very unfair disparity legally between how victims of these two diseases are treated when it comes to seeking justice for the death sentences inflicted on them by negligent employers.

“It can be many years after contact with asbestos that symptoms begin to develop, and often people will have worked for several employers responsible for their exposure to the dust.

There will be an impact on people in Medway, I have no doubt about that

“In that time, businesses may have folded, and insurance records are often lost or destroyed.

“People who are diagnosed with mesothelioma need to find just one of their negligent former employers to claim full compensation.

“The responsible insurer can then continue the search for other employers in order to apportion blame between them.

“People with a terrifying, terminal illness obviously do not have the luxury of time to find insurance records themselves.

“But asbestos-related lung cancer victims must track down all firms which exposed them to asbestos to receive full compensation.

“Otherwise, they can miss out on thousands of pounds which can be crucial in paying for medical treatment and care.

“There will be an impact on people in Medway, I have no doubt about that.”

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs and is usually linked to asbestos exposure, according to the NHS.

Medway had the third most number of male mesothelioma deaths in the UK between 1981 and 2022, with Plymouth having the most at 648.

Last year KentOnline reported how the family of a plumber who died of asbestos-related cancer following suspected exposure at work were appealing for help to trace his colleagues.

Peter Muckle, from Rochester, was 74 when he died in February 2022 - just two months after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.

His family are investigating if he could have come into contact with the cancer-causing mineral during his job as a plumber between 1980 and 2013.

And it’s not just the workers themselves who can be potentially harmed by the hazardous substance.

Ann Smith, a housewife from Rochester, contracted mesothelioma after years of exposure to asbestos fibres from her late husband’s clothing.

Her partner often responded to incidents in turbine and boiler houses and he continually dealt with blow-outs on pipes - all of which were rife with asbestos.

The use of asbestos was completely banned in 1999, so the risk of exposure is much lower nowadays.

However, the materials containing asbestos are still found in many older buildings.

Generally, it is understood asbestos is fine if left undisturbed but extreme care must be taken to prevent the release of asbestos fibres.

According to the HSE, if you discover suspected asbestos you should stop work immediately, confirm what it is or assume it is asbestos and carry out a risk assessment.

The APIL is now calling for a UK-wide law allowing sufferers of asbestos-related lung cancer to receive full compensation in the same way as mesothelioma victims.

Mr Easton added: “There is no justification for treating asbestos-related lung cancer victims any differently from sufferers of mesothelioma.”