Court hears dead smoker's evidence

Evidence given by a smoker before his death was heard today in a test case in which his widow is suing one of the world's big tobacco companies.

Margaret McTear is seeking £500,000 damages from Imperial Tobacco, claiming it failed to warn her husband Alf of the risks of cigarettes. He died of lung cancer in 1993.

Edinburgh's Court of Session heard evidence given at home by Mr McTear in the weeks before his death at 48.

He said there had never been any health warnings on the packets of John Player cigarettes he smoked, or any warnings they were addictive.

The court also heard that Mr McTear had said: "God forgive me but I enjoyed it."

Mrs McTear, from Beith in Ayrshire, is not receiving legal aid for her action.