THE family of a former vehicle production line worker who died from asbestos-related cancer are appealing to his former Basingstoke workmates for help.

David Buckett, 78, from Basingstoke died in December 2022 from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung associated with asbestos exposure, often decades previously.

Now, his wife Janet Buckett, 75, and daughter Sharon Jennings, 54, have asked lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate David’s illness and if it was linked to his work history.

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They are appealing to David’s former colleagues to come forward with information on the conditions he would have worked under, ahead of this year’s Action Mesothelioma Day on July 7.

Janet and Sharon want to hear from anyone who worked with David at the former Thornycroft factory in Worting Road, Basingstoke between 1969 and 1972 or from his time at Lansing Bagnall, in Kingsclere Road, Basingstoke from 1972 to 1973.

David also worked at Jetwain Aerospace Limited in Basingstoke from 1973 to 1985.

David was in good health until June 2022 when he became breathless and struggled to walk.

He then lost his appetite which caused weight loss and was admitted to hospital, where he had 4.5 litres of fluid drained from his lungs.

After five weeks in hospital, David was discharged home and died surrounded by his family in December.

Janet, whose daughter Nicola died before her husband became ill, said: “Seven months on from David’s death, it still doesn’t seem real and I’m not sure it will ever really sink in.

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“His diagnosis took us completely by surprise and it was awful to see how the illness affected him at the end.

“David was not in the condition to look into his asbestos exposure at the end. Now feels like the right time to follow up his wishes and see what we can find out in his memory.

“Nothing can make up for the suffering David went through and the hole left in our lives but it would be great to hear the recollections of others who remember David or the factories he worked in. We’d really appreciate hearing any details as they help us to honour David’s memory with the truth.”

Nicola Maier, the asbestos-related disease specialist at Irwin Mitchell supporting David’s family, said: “A few months on from his death, David’s family are still struggling to come to terms with the shock of his passing and trying to make sense of what happened.

“Asbestos was widely used in many industries and David’s death is another reminder of the terrible legacy the hazardous material continues to have and the devastation it causes for families.

“Through our work, we support many families whose lives have been turned upside down by asbestos. While nothing can bring David back, his family are determined to find the answers and gaining some closure and we’re committed to supporting them.

“Action Mesothelioma Day is an opportunity to remind others of the danger still posed by asbestos which still claims over 5,000 lives every year and to help another family in establishing the truth behind the death of a loved one.

"Any details David’s former workmates could provide would be a real help to his family at this difficult time.”

David began working at the Thornycroft factory as a machinist in 1969. He spent the next three years on the production line manufacturing vehicles until 1973. David’s role included manufacturing the components for trucks.

On leaving Thornycroft, David moved to Lansing Bagnall, which was known for the production of forklift trucks.

He worked on the production line for six months. The firm became Lansing Linde Limited in 1989, and in 2003 in another change, became Linde Material Handling (UK) Limited.

In 1973, David joined the aviation maintenance company Jetwain Aerospace Limited. Based in Basingstoke, David worked there for 12 years, performing maintenance on commercial aircraft.

During this time, David worked on the undercarriages of aircraft, maintaining the brakes, which he said may have contained asbestos. David and his colleagues at Jetwain were made redundant when the firm closed down in 1985.

David recalled several colleagues there, including Dennis Bishop, Rita Jones, Keith Hibbert and Alan Mcilroy.

Prior to his death, David told his family that he believed a lot of vehicle parts and components at the time could have included asbestos. He also feared lagging used on the pipes surrounding production lines contained asbestos.

Anyone who remembers David, or the conditions in either of these factories more generally, is asked to contact Nicola Maier at Irwin Mitchell on 02380 930 702 or email Nicola.Maier@IrwinMitchell.com