A BRENTWOOD man died of mesothelioma after coming into contact with asbestos for most of his working life, an inquest heard.

Dennis Sadler, 78, of Kingsley Road, was told he had the condition at Basildon Hospital in February 2008.

He later developed breathing problems and was taken to St Francis Hospice, in Havering-atte-Bower, where he died on August 4, 2008.

Mr Sadler, who was not married and had no children, had always worked in the building trade. His job saw him regularly pulling down old buildings.

Chelmsford coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: “Mr Sadler used to work in the building trade, and over a number of years he frequently pulled down old buildings, which almost certainly had asbestos in them.

“In the light of this evidence I shall record a verdict that Mr Sadler died of the industrial disease mesothelioma, it was not a natural death.”