Two weeks ago I went to see a production of "Dust", a play telling the story of June Hancock's fight for justice against Turner & Newall, owners of the JW Roberts asbestos factory in Armley.

June was a client of mine who became a close friend. Very sadly she died from mesothelioma in 1997, but not before she had won a landmark victory that paved the way for many others to seek compensation.

June grew up in Armley, Leeds, and as a child had played amongst the asbestos dust that came from the factory. Her claim was groundbreaking, as she was the first mesothelioma sufferer to bring a claim who had not been exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Her determination and strength was an inspiration and I was delighted to see that this play would help to bring her story to a wider audience.

The production at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds was excellent and by the end there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The cast was made up of residents of Armley who have seen first-hand the devastation that asbestos caused to their community.

After the show I had a long chat with the playwright, Ken Yates. He told me that he hoped to take the production on tour, possibly to London and Glasgow. He also said that Warner Brothers were interested in the story so there's a possibility of the play being made into a film.

The production was a fitting tribute to June. I'd like to congratulate those involved for drawing attention to an issue that continues to cause problems for the people of Armley, where new mesothelioma cases are still emerging as a result of exposure to asbestos dust from the JW Roberts factory.