A FORMER Merseyside welder has won a long-running battle for compensation, after being diagnosed with terminal asbestos-related cancer.

Ronnie Cadwallader, 76, from Halewood used to work in engineering, stripping off asbestos lagging on pipes, turbines and boilers when carrying out maintenance and repairs.

In September 2007 he started to develop severe chest pains and underwent various investigations including a biopsy.

The devastating news that he had the cancer mesothelioma – caused by inhaling tiny fragments of asbestos – was given to him in November 2007.

His wife Ann told the Post how the six figure insurance win was bitter-sweet.

Mother-of-two, Ann, said that the money couldn't make up for the fact that she was going to lose her husband.

She said: “It came as such a shock. Ronnie was so fit and healthy, always running and never smoked or drank. All of a sudden he was really poorly with no energy. It was horrific.

“It was a real struggle with the compensation. The companies Ronnie worked for went out of business a long time ago and there was no trace of insurance."

Mr Cadwallader has defied the doctors’ prognosis of six-nine months life expectancy, which he was given in 2007, to secure damages.

His wife added: “I am very happy that the fight is over now but this is blood money. For Ronnie's life, it doesn't seem enough.”

The couple’s solicitor Kevin Johnson of John Pickering and Partners said: “Cases like this show that the ABI Code for tracing the insurers of employers who have gone out of business fails asbestos sufferers and is not fit for purpose. The time is right for the government to introduce a statutory fund of last resort.”