A SELF-HELP group for victims of York’s asbestos timebomb and their families has been wound up.

The York Asbestos Support Group was launched in 2006 to provide practical help for people affected by the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma and campaign for better treatment by the authorities.

A year later, it launched a self-help group to provide an opportunity for mesothelioma victims and their families to get together and share their experiences.

But now solicitor Kim Daniells and long-standing asbestos campaigner Paul Cooper, who set up the support group, say it has been disbanded because they couldn’t find enough volunteers to help run its activities.

Mr Cooper, who formerly worked at York Carriageworks, where scores of ex-employees have died from asbestos-related illnesses, said the lack of assistance had been placing a greater burden on him and Kim.

But he stressed that they would continue individually to offer help and advice to anyone affected by asbestos disease, and people could contact them directly.

He said group members decided to distribute remaining funds in the group’s accounts to two funds which carry out research into the cancer.

Cheques for £1,780 had been sent to the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund and the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund.

Mr Cooper said: “The members felt that by investing in research into mesothelioma, any improvement in treatments would benefit more people than any other way.”

Inquests this year have revealed that York’s terrible asbestos legacy is continuing to claim lives.

One hearing in the summer was told how Peter Abbott of Heworth, who died in April of pulmonary fibrosis, aged 73, worked at the carriageworks in Holgate Road as a fitter in the repair shop in 1965 and worked there until 1988, regularly cutting through carriages lagged with blue asbestos.

His widow, June, who was keen to raise awareness of asbestos, said Peter had suffered terribly.