A BURNLEY couple on holiday in Egypt moved their granddaughter out of their hotel room hours before they died as a ‘musty smell’ had left her feeling unwell.

John and Susan Cooper, on an all-inclusive holiday with daughter Kelly Ormerod, complained of a smell like acetone in their room after returning from an evening buffet on August 20, an inquest in Preston heard.

Ms Ormerod’s three children, one of whom was staying in Mr and Mrs Cooper’s room, were also on the family holiday. At 1.15am, granddaughter Molly was taken to her mum’s room after she said the smell was making her feel sick. It was later established that the smell was coming from the room next door, which had recently been fumigated.

The following morning the Coopers were found seriously ill by their daughter at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada.

Opening the inquests yesterday, Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, said: “On the morning of Tuesday 21st August, Ms Ormerod became concerned because neither [of her parents] had appeared by 11am.”

Det Inspector Leah Rice told the hearing: “The normal routine was Susan Cooper would usually be up 6am or 6.30am and down to the pool to reserve sun beds for the day, then breakfast. However that morning she was not down for the sun beds.”

Dr Adeley said: “Shortly after this Mr Cooper collapsed in the room and could not be revived and was verified to have died at noon.” Mrs Cooper had a heart attack in an ambulance on the way to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The inquests were adjourned after Dr Adeley said he had only a single document from the authorities in Egypt stating E.coli as a cause of death for the couple and explaining the smell as a leak of pesticides from the fumigated room.

He has requested all relevant paperwork from tour operator Thomas Cook and the Egyptian authorities, but said it could be ‘months or even years’ before he can ascertain what killed the couple. Authorities in Egypt reported the cause of deaths as being linked to E.coli bacteria, which was dismissed by Ms Ormerod last week.Speaking outside of Preston Coroner’s Court yesterday morning, Ms Omerod asked for privacy saying she will speak out when she is ready. The funerals were being held in Burnley today.