Man sent evidence to own inquest

A FORMER electrician who died five weeks after a mesothelioma diagnosis gave evidence at his own inquest.

Frank Moffatt (69), of Hereford Street, Werneth, died last August from the condition, which is linked to asbestos exposure.

Mr Moffatt gave evidence through a statement he had prepared for litigation purposes.

He said he was exposed to asbestos while working as an electrician for Charlesworths of Oldham between 1954 to 1960.

Mr Moffatt said while dragging cables between different floors, they would bang against the pipes releasing asbestos dust and fibres in the air.

Huge clouds of asbestos dust would be released when laggers knocked the asbestos off, and cleaning up was done with a brush and a pan.

He wore slim paper masks to prevent exposure to “nuisance dust”, took overalls home to be cleaned and was never warned of the risk.

Last April, Mr Moffatt complained of being breathless. Procedures led to the mesothelioma diagnosis at the end of June.

In his statement, taken in July, he said: “I’m in a huge amount of pain and am taking pain medication.”

Cause of death was given as mesothelioma.

Oldham coroner Simon Nelson recorded a verdict of industrial disease.