A FORMER shipyard worker who is severely unwell because of exposure to asbestos has been awarded damages of more than £130,000.

A judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh heard doctors describe Thomas Renfrew, 63, as "stoical".

The court also heard how the deadly mesothelioma had added to the difficulties faced by his family.

Mr Renfrew's wife Margaret also has to care for her 85-year-old father, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease, and her Down's Syndrome sister. The family have chosen not to ask for help from social workers.

Mr Renfrew, of Clyde Terrace, Ardrossan, Ayrshire, sued Clyde shipyards, where he had worked as a painter between 1959 and 1973.

Lithgows and Scotts' Shipbuilding Company admitted liability but contested the size of the award Mr Renfrew was seeking.

After hearing medical evidence, judge Lord Woolman ruled that Mr Renfrew is entitled to £130,375.