THE widow of a former train driver who died from an asbestos-related cancer has described how her husband's colleagues used to make snowballs from the deadly fibre.

Frank White was diagnosed with mesothelioma in April 2008 and died, aged 74, in June this year.

A post-mortem examination revealed he was suffering from pneumonia caused by the lung disease.

Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court heard how Mr White became exposed to asbestos during part of his 47 years working for British Rail in Derby. While training to be a driver he cleaned fire boxes lined with asbestos.

Speaking after his inquest, his widow, Freda, 80, said: "Frank would tell me about how some of the workers would make snowballs out of the asbestos to throw at each other while they were messing about, or make it into a football and kick it about.

"He was a fit man who was never ill. He tended to his allotment every day for 35 years and had years in him until he fell ill. I feel really cheated and angry and feel something should have been done about this years ago. Companies must have known it [asbestos] was dangerous."

Mr and Mrs White met at a dance and married at St Mary's Church, Boulton, in 1960.

The couple, who have always lived in Percy Street, have two children, David, 48, and Susan Wood, 45, who lives in Spenbeck Drive, Allestree with husband Melvyn and their children James, 21, and Jessica, 19.

While a train driver, Mr White drove the Queen from Derby to Matlock.

Mrs Wood said her father was very attached to his grandchildren.

She said: "He was young-looking and strong for his age, which makes it all the more sad that he was taken from us by this disease. He lived for his job and would not have done anything else."

On the night that he died, at Derby City Hospital, now Royal Derby Hospital, his family were by his side. Mrs White said: "I was holding his hand, I looked at him and just knew. I saw the light go out in his eyes and he was gone."

Mr Wood said shortly before his father-in-law's death he took him to Carsington Water, where he used Mrs White's mobility scooter to get around.

He said: "That wasn't Frank – two years before he would have hated the idea of being in one of those."

In recording a verdict of death by industrial disease, Louise Pinder, deputy coroner for Derby and South Derbyshire, said she was satisfied Mr White's mesothelioma was brought about by his exposure to asbestos during his time working for British Rail.

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