Rebecca Little, 53, of Catterick, died in February 2002 from the asbestos -related cancer mesothelioma.

Her family had fought to prove her illness was caused by exposure to the dust at a London hospital in the 1960s.

The Department of Health has admitted liability for breach of duty of care, the family's solicitors said.

Mrs Little trained as a nurse at the former Charing Cross Hospital between 1968 and 1970.

Premises decommissioned

It is there she claimed she was exposed to the toxic dust as it crumbled from insulation covering pipe work on the wards.

Mrs Little had started her case against the Department of Health before her death.

She said if the ward was quiet nurses were expected to keep busy by cleaning and it was not unusual for them to sweep up small pieces and dust from the insulation on the pipes.

A legal battle against the Department of Health seemed the only way to convince the authorities to act Dr Julian Little, Mrs Little's husband

The hospital premises off the Strand, where Mrs Little met her husband Dr Julian Little, have since been decommissioned and are no longer in use as a hospital.

The couple lived in Australia and Canada after Dr Little qualified as an anaesthetist but moved back to England with their four children in 1981.

In the mid 1980s, Dr Little joined the army and in 1997 he was posted to Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire where Mrs Little got a job as a health visitor in Richmond.

'Particularly cruel'

She underwent extensive treatment for her cancer, including chemotherapy, but died a few days before her 54th birthday.

Dr Little said his wife's motivation in bringing the case had been to highlight the dangers of asbestos in old hospitals.

And although he was satisfied the Department of Health had admitted liability, he said nothing could make up for the loss of his wife.

"She had such a love of life and had always been such an active person who enjoyed outdoor pursuits, so this devastating illness came as a particularly cruel blow," he said.

"She was desperate that some action should be taken to tackle the problem so that other people would not suffer as she had.