MORE than 2,500 people from Hampshire have have died from cancer linked to asbestos exposure, new figures have revealed.

Over the past 30 years, 2,532 people have died from mesothelioma, a form of terminal cancer which often develops decades after exposure to hazardous asbestos.

Southampton and Eastleigh both feature in the top ten local authority areas that have seen the highest above-expected number of men die from mesothelioma.

The figures, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), show a total of 2,532 people – 2,252 men and 280 women – across Hampshire have died from mesothelioma since 1981 to 2015.

The figures also highlight the “terrible legacy of the area’s industrial heritage”, said specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, whose Southampton asbestos-related disease team has represented hundreds of families affected by mesothelioma.

Yesterday, Irwin Mitchell marked International Workers’ Memorial Day, an annual event to “remember the dead; fight for the living”.

This year’s theme was “dangerous substances – get them out of the workplace” and had a focus on asbestos.

Nicola Maier, expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell (inset), said: “The reality is thousands of people are dying due to asbestos exposure in the past.

“The majority of those were exposed at work, and were completely unaware of the dangers of the hazardous material.

“There has also been a rise in the past five years of people becoming ill who simply washed the clothes of workers decades ago as the harmful asbestos fibres were thrown into the air.

“Workers’ Memorial Day is an important time to reflect on the terrible impact that asbestos has had on so many lives.

“These HSE figures highlight the tragic reality that we see day to day in our work.”

Southampton ranked ninth and saw 355 deaths, compared to an expected 156, and Eastleigh was ranked tenth with 194 deaths recorded compared to the 86 anticipated.