Joyce Clare, 73, worked at the Everite Road site from 1976 until its closure in the 1990s, employed by several catering companies running the staff restaurant over the years.

In early 2025 she started suffering from shortness of breath and, just a few months later, was devastated to learn that she had mesothelioma - an incurable cancer caused by breathing in asbestos dust and fibres, often decades earlier.

Like many people of her generation, she never imagined that simply going to work every day could leave her with a life-limiting illness.

Joyce has now instructed Thompsons Solicitors to investigate, and her legal team are appealing to former colleagues and anyone who remembers the restaurant, its equipment or the working conditions there, to come forward with information.

During her time at the site, Joyce worked in the staff restaurant preparing and serving food. She remembers using industrial kitchen equipment, including AGA ovens and dishwashers, as well as thick heat-resistant oven gloves, which may have contained asbestos.

Paula Wrigley, from Thompsons Solicitors' asbestos team in Liverpool, said: "Joyce is very upset by her diagnosis. She spent more than 20 years working in the factory and is devastated to think that she could have been exposed to asbestos simply by doing her job.

"We're now asking anyone who worked at the Golden Wonder factory alongside her, especially in or around the restaurant, or who remembers the kitchen equipment, pipework or any maintenance or refurbishment work carried out there, to reach out.

"Even the smallest memory could make a real difference to our client's claim and help provide some reassurance for her and her family during an incredibly difficult time.

Paula added: "Mesothelioma can take decades to develop after asbestos exposure. Sadly, by the time it is diagnosed, people are often facing an uncertain future. While nothing can change our client's diagnosis, a successful claim can help provide financial security and make sure she has access to the care and support she may need.”

Anyone who thinks they may be able to help is asked to contact Paula Wrigley at Thompsons Solicitors on 0151 224 1608 or by email at PaulaWrigley@thompsons.law