THE family of a former shipyard worker who died after coming into contact with asbestos has been awarded more than £340,000 after his employers admitted liability for the exposure.

Lord Clarke ordered that the relatives of George Manson should receive £340,634 because his bosses Henry Robb Ltd didn’t do enough to protect him from the substance.

Mr Manson, originally from Dalkeith, Midlothian, died aged 81 in February 2016 from Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer.

The lethal condition has affected many shipyard workers who came into contact with asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lord Clarke made the ruling in a written judgement which was issued at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

Mr Manson worked in the shipyard, which was located in Leith, before moving to England with his family in the 1970s.

Lawyers acting for Henry Robb agreed the company didn’t do enough to stop Mr Manson from being exposed to asbestos.

After hearing evidence that Mr Mason was a member of a “very close” family and that his relatives were devastated by his death, Lord Clarke ruled that payment should be set at £340,634.