Deputy East Sussex Coroner Joanna Pratt recorded industrial disease as the cause of death of Philip Charles Green of Hawthylands Road, Hailsham on March 9 this year aged 57.

Tuesday's Eastbourne inquest heard how a post mortem had revealed shards of asbestos in his lung tissue and confirmed the cause of death was mesothelioma.

His widow, retired caterer Marion Doris Green told the inquest she had only been with her husband for four years but heard him talk about being exposed to asbestos at work.

Her written report explained that it wasn't until he realised he was ill he told her about cutting up asbestos with a bandsaw, holding one end of the saw while colleagues held the other end.

The inquest heard how Mr Green had been born in East Ham, London and worked for Lawrence and Bythe where he prepared sheeting for fitting out restaurants and kitchens.

Her report also explained he had not only cut up new sheets containing asbestos, but had worked on removing old asbestos panels from buildings.
He had later worked on other building sites.

She described how he had said the air was full of a kind of fog created by asbestos dust and no masks or other protection was worn.

The coroner said there was no question that Mr Green had been exposed to asbestos during the course of his employment.