A Suffolk man made a statement before his death in which he spoke about exposure to asbestos which went on to cause his fatal condition, an inquest has heard. Brian Buckle, 75, died at his home on May 16, the inquest at Bury St Edmunds heard.

A post-mortem examination confirmed an earlier diagnosis that Mr Buckle, a retired painter and decorator, died as a result of mesothelioma, a condition associated with asbestos.

In his statement, Mr Buckle said during his five-year apprenticeship he swept up after other tradesmen, sometimes resulting in clouds of asbestos dust.

Later, he said he worked close to carpenters who were sawing up sheets of asbestos and the resulting dust was ‘impossible to avoid’.

He described working in boiler rooms where pipes were lagged with asbestos and rubbing down asbestos lined walls at a laboratory in Haverhill before painting them. He said;

“I was never warned of the dangers of asbestos and never provided with a mask or other protection.”

Assistant Suffolk Coroner Nigel Parsley ecorded a conclusion Mr Buckle’s death was due to an industrial disease.