Industrial disease lawyer Brigitte Chandler says adverts which encourage people to make compensation claims should not be handed to people waiting for treatment in hospital A&E departments.

And other lawyers have said such firms are giving honourable, hardworking solicitors a bad name.

As reported in yesterday's Adver, No Win No Fee claim companies have been touting for business at the Great Western Hospital.

Their tactics have been described as tasteless opportunism and unacceptable by the hospital, which has told staff to bin their literature.

One of the leaflets targets victims of asbestos contamination.

Mrs Chandler, of Charles Lucas and Marshall in Old Town, works tirelessly to get compensation settlements for victims of asbestos-related illness, such as mesothelioma dubbed the Swindon Disease due to the town's railway history and the number of workers who were exposed to asbestos.

She has dealt with thousands of asbestos-related claims over the last 30 years and says anyone who is offering to help people make claims should act responsibly.

"This is a very specialised area of law," she said. There are a lot of different companies, which no longer exist, and so tracking down the insurers is not easy. It needs a specialist to do it.

"I've been doing this for 30 years and I have a national reputation."

The lawyer does not think all advertising is a bad thing.

She said: "There is all sorts of advertising allowed and I am aware advertising is allowed in hospitals. It gives people the opportunity to make claims"

But she thinks there is a right and a wrong way to advertise.

"There is a time to do things. In some places there are outlets to advertise. But when people are ill and waiting for treatment it's not the best time to give them an advertisement."

Mark Tawn, personal injury specialist with BLB Solicitors in Swindon, is not surprised the hospital is fed up with the leaflets.

He said: "This does tend to tar the hard-working decent solicitors, not just in my firm, with the same brush. I do regret that. We wouldn't do this.

"I can't say it's unlawful or improper but it's bordering on distasteful. There is a fine line."

Mr Tawn said: "The Publicity Code for solicitors says practitioners must not make unsolicited visits or telephone calls to members of the public. I'm not surprised this has rattled the hospital." The Adver contacted all the companies advertising at GWH and they either refused to comment or hung up.

Lyndsay Scanlan