FOR former miner Don Lawrence, compensation for his chest disease was a way of making sure his family was provided for after his death.

But the ex-pitman (pictured) died without receiving a penny - and his grieving widow has lashed out at the system that left her husband waiting in hope for nothing.

The Argus launched its Justice For Miners campaign in 1999 to help speed up the compensation process for men and women like Mr Lawrence and his widow Sue. We have run our high-profile campaign, backed by politicians, celebrities and ordinary people across Gwent and beyond, for almost three years - and collected more than 25,000 signatures on a petition delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr Lawrence, from Markham, died last month at the age of 60.

He had registered his claim in 2000 and hoped the compensation for chronic lung disease, caused by almost 20 years of working in the pits, would provide for his wife and their two adult sons.

But the claim was delayed and Mr Lawrence died without seeing any of the money. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) made a full and final offer to Mr Lawrence, through his solicitors, Hugh James, in July 2001. Gareth Morgan, a solicitor with Hugh James, said a meeting had been held with claims handlers following the offer, where it had been agreed a medical report was wrong and a "significantly higher" sum should be offered. They are still waiting for the re-evaluation nine months later.

A DTI spokesman said yesterday the claim would now pass to Mr Lawrence's widow, enhanced by a bereavement award.

But Mrs Lawrence feels angry and disappointed her husband never received any compensation.

"He didn't have any real plans for it - we might have had a holiday, but the main thing would have been knowing that his family would be secure. Now he will never know," she said.

Despite recent government efforts to speed up compensation payments, Bleddyn Hancock, the leader of mining union Nacods, fears more will fall victim to devastating chest diseases before they receive their money.