ASBESTOS is the biggest killer industrial disease in Britain. It has the highest rate of mesothelioma deaths in the world. Over 5,000 are killed by asbestos disease every year — equivalent to one Grenfell-sized death toll every five days.

It is incurable. It is a terrible death. A death by slow suffocation due to an ever-increasing shortness of breath. Most victims die within 12 months. Some can linger for longer, just prolonging absolute misery and agony. It normally has a long latency period of between 30 to 50 years. Children are more susceptible than adults.

It was stunning to see on the front page of the Daily Mail (October 21) the headline “‘Tsunami’ of Asbestos Deaths in Schools” and the subheading, “Hundreds of thousands of former pupils and teachers could die, claims shock new report.”