A STUDENT'S summer job proved to be the death of James Morton -- half a century later.

An inquest heard that the 69-year-old retired engineer handled asbestos while working at a power station where his dad was a boss in 1953. He died in August 2003 as a result of asbestos-related cancer.

In a statement read out after his death, Mr Morton, of Shireburn Avenue, Clitheroe, told how he went to university in Manchester in 1952 after leaving school. His father was in management at Bradford power station and got him a job there the following summer.

Mr Morton told how he had worked on the overhaul of a boiler which involved the removal of asbestos lagging.

The inquest heard that Mr Morton was diagnosed as having a maesothelioma in May 2003 by which time his health had deteriorated. His wife, Ann Morton, told how he collapsed and died at their home on August 5.

Medical cause of death was given as pulmonary embolism as a result of thrombosis caused by a malignant maesothelioma.

Recording a verdict of death from industrial disease verdict deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton described the disease as "horrendous."

"It can be decades, in this case 50 years, before the symptoms of this horrible malignancy come forward," said Mrs Singleton. "It always make me wonder what we are doing now that will come back to haunt us in years to come."