A FORMER maintenance engineer who worked around asbestos for more than 30 years died from a chest infection as a result of a lung tumour.

A Bolton inquest heard that Frank Green, aged 78, almost certainly developed the tumour after coming into contact with asbestos "all the time" in the course of his work.

Mr Green, of Sanderson's Croft, Leigh, had been very active before becoming ill, but his wife told the inquest he had become very breathless as his condition progressed.

The pensioner, who had also suffered a minor stroke in the years before his death, was found to have a partially collapsed right lung earlier this year.

It was thought that a build up of fluid in the lung had been caused by the underlying tumour.

Tests confirmed the presence of the tumour, which was described in medical reports as being a "characteristic tumour associated with working in the asbestos industry."

In a post mortem examination performed by pathologist David Barker, it was found that the chest infection had been the primary cause of death.

Coroner Jennifer Leeming recorded a conclusion of death by industrial disease.