Chris Knighton, from Wallsend, lost her husband Mick to the asbestos related disease Mesothelioma in 2001 and has been running the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma research fund since 2002.

Chris said: "The group is for all whose lives have been affected by the disease.

"When Mick died I realised there wasn't anything out there, and so I set up the fund to help people and provide information to them.

"There are so many people that are affected with Mesothelioma because of the industry work in the north east, a lot of people have become exposed to asbestos.

"People who worked on the ship yards and even teachers who taught in some of the old prefabricated buildings."

Chris' husband Mick was just 59-years-old when he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma after he was exposed to asbestos while serving in the Royal Navy.

Chris said: "When Mick was diagnosed he was given just six months to live.

"It was obviously a very hard time, but he lived for seven months."

Now the charity that Chris has set up has raised over £300,000 - securing a researcher at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research.

"There is no cure and no effective treatment for this and those who go through it are given just a matter of months," she said.

"Thanks to all the money we have raised we are able to fund a researcher and we are looking into finding a treatment for Mesothelioma sufferers."

The group has taken part in a variety of fundraising activities including abseiling down the Tyne bridge and a Hollywood themed night.

And the charity held a Strawberry Fair on Friday at the Holmeprior House on Front Street in Monkseaton.

There was a tombola and various stalls.

Chris added: "We need to keep raising money so we have the funds to keep the researcher in place so we can work towards finding a treatment for this disease."

For more information about mesothelioma visit www.mickknightonmesorf.mysite.freeserve.com or
www.mesothelioma.org.uk