A HOUSE of Lords decision today could pave way for hundreds of families in the region affected by asbestos-related illness to claim compensation.

Previously a legal loophole meant that people who had worked for more than one company could not prove which was responsible for their illness.

Workplaces affected include the T&N car component factory in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester.

Former Barrow shipyard workers in Cumbria have also been hit.