Former workers at Rochdale-based Turner and Newall are demonstrating outside the firm's insurers, Royal Sun Alliance in Liverpool.

The demonstration coincides with a High Court ruling in London on whether the victims from the company will be paid damages.

Hundreds of former Turner and Newall employees are thought to be suffering from the effects of inhaling asbestos dust at the firm, which is now in administration.

'Acted illegally'

They are seeking to force Royal and Sun Alliance, and the firm's other insurers Lloyds, to admit they are liable to pay compensation.

Speaking at the protest, John Flanagan of the Merseyside Asbestos Support Group, said the insurers acted illegally under the Employers' Liability Act 1972.

"Workers were insured under legislation brought in at that time (the 1970s) to make sure people received their just compensation if they were given an asbestos-related disease by their company," Mr Flanagan told BBC North West Today.

'Complex issues'

However, he said asbestosis was removed from the list of diseases Turner and Newall was responsible for - although other diseases like lung cancer were not exempted.

The protest comes after a recent legal ruling which states that as long as victims can prove which employer was responsible for their condition, they will receive compensation.

In a statement the Royal and Sun Alliance said it was sympathetic to the sufferers of asbestos-related diseases.

It said: "This matter is covered by complex legal and contractual issues, but we cannot comment further because of the ongoing court case."