The widow of a former Pembroke Dock Town Councillor has received compensation following his death from an asbestos related cancer in 2007.

Seventy-five-year-old grandfather of four Ted Hissey battled mesothelioma for a year and his wife Jenny has now received the undisclosed sum in an out of court settlement more than three years after his death.

Mrs Hissey said that it was a ‘dreadful shock’ when her husband was diagnosed as he was always so active.

“My husband was always a hard worker and even after his retirement he would find hobbies to keep himself busy,” she said.

“When he was diagnosed with mesothelioma he found it incredibly difficult to be bed bound.

“The last three years have been incredibly lonely without him. This compensation does not make up for our loss, but does give us a sense of relief that the employer has taken responsibility for his death.”

Thompsons Solicitors, who Mr Hissey contacted to pursue a compensation claim after his diagnosis, said he was exposed to asbestos during his work for the Department for Environment (now the Department for Communities and Local Government) at RAF Brawdy and at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Trecwn, between 1990 and 1993.

The firm was successful in gaining the settlement after the Department for Communities and Local Government admitted liability before the case was due for trial later this month.

Eamonn McDonough from the firm said Mr Hissey’s “suffering and death, and the incalculable loss to his wife and family, were entirely preventable had his employers not failed in their duty of care”.

Mr Hissey was an active member of the Pembroke Dock British Legion and secretary of the Royal Engineers Association. He represented his home ward of Pennar on Pembroke Dock Town Council for nearly two years.