A BOURTON carpenter who cut asbestos sheets in the 1960s died almost half a century later as a result of his exposure to the deadly mineral, an inquest heard.

Gloucestershire coroner, Alan Crickmore, recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease on James Bredin, 71, of Stoneways, Gorse Meadow.

The inquest heard that Mr Bredin, a carpenter/builder married to wife Mary for 52 years, retired eight-nine months before his death.

His son, James, told the inquest Mr Bredin did maintenance work at Sudeley Castle, near Winchcombe, in the 1990s.

"In the Sixties, I had been present when he cut asbestos sheets with a handsaw to fit backing plates to fires," stated Mr Bredin junior.

He said his father became unwell after his retirement and his GP treated him for a lung infection.

The pain steadily worsened and “in desperation” he sought medical help privately.

During tests, a radiographer told him he had a terminal disease that was later confirmed to be the asbestos-related lung cancer mesothelioma.

Mr Bredin junior said his mother telephoned him on March 20 to say his father was making “a rasping noise”.

They called an ambulance that took him to Cheltenham General Hospital where he died on March 23.

Pathologist, Doctor Richard Bryan, undertook a post mortem that found 32,421 fibres of asbestos per gram of dry lung tissue - a “relatively low” level but higher than would be found in someone who had never been exposed to it industrially.

He gave the cause of death as bronchial pneumonia due to mesothelioma.