BARROW continues to see the highest rate of deaths from asbestos-related cancer.

More than 2,500 people nationally died of a cancer linked to asbestos in a year, an increase of six per cent, latest government figures reveal.

The Health and Safety Executive has published its latest report into asbestos-related mesothelioma cancer deaths in Great Britain with northern areas, including Barrow, still dominating mortality rates for men and women.

The report on Mesothelioma Mortality in Great Britain: 1968-2020 shows there were 2,544 deaths from mesothelioma - a terminal cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen - in 2020, up 6 per cent on the 2019 figures.

The most up to date figures are a reminder of the 'dreadful legacy' that asbestos has created, according to lawyers at Irwin Mitchell who support people diagnosed with diseases caused by exposure to the hazardous material.

They are also calling for more to be done to remove asbestos from public buildings to reduce death rates.

According to the HSE, a total of 2,085 men and 459 women died from mesothelioma in 2020, up six per cent and seven per cent respectively.

Barrow, with 411, topped the local authority areas where the most men died based on standard mortality rates.

West Dunbartonshire in Scotland was second with 363, followed by North Tyneside with 287, South Tyneside on 273 and Portsmouth with 267.

Adrian Budgen, a partner and asbestos-related disease specialist at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This latest report shows that, despite all our hopes of seeing a fall in mesothelioma cases, the numbers show no signs of decline, with a percentage increase among men and women alike.

“The report makes clear that mesothelioma deaths have continued to increase year on year over the last half-century, with over eight times as many deaths in the last decade compared to 1971-1980.”

Ranking areas using standard mortality ratios (SMRs) compares the actual mesothelioma deaths recorded to how many people would be normally expected to die in a given area.

The number of female cases was higher than the 416 average seen over the last eight years. However, it was in line with projections for between 400 and 500 female deaths per year from mesothelioma in the 2020s.

Covid-19 may have had an impact on the figures, as some people with mesothelioma may not have been diagnosed in 2020, due to the effects of the pandemic on cancer services across the country, and coronial inquests were also impacted.

The picture for women saw Barking and Dagenham top on 341, followed by Sunderland (324) and Newham in East London (290) and West Dunbartonshire (Clydeside) on 245. Leeds was ranked fifth with a SMR of 232.

Barrow ranked fifth on the list with 230.

Earlier this year, MPs called for a 40 year deadline to remove all remaining asbestos from public and commercial buildings, within the UK.

Mr Budgen said: “The impact of Covid-19 on these increases is hard to judge and we’ll see if a return to some normality sees the hoped for decline in these figures.

"Sadly, we deal with many families affected by asbestos-disease and it’s important to remember that, behind these numbers, are real people and families who have been left devastated by the dreadful legacy of asbestos."