Imperial Tobacco has won a landmark court case against a widow whose husband died from lung cancer.

Margaret McTear sued Imperial Tobacco for £500,000 following the death of her 48-year-old husband, Alfred, who smoked 60 a day.

A judge rejected claims that McTear was unaware of the risks when he began smoking and that advertising was a big factor in his decision to smoke.

The firm had denied it was to blame.

The judge said there was no proof that Imperial Tobacco's product had caused the cancer which killed him.

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