A Lydstep man who, during his working life, was a highly qualified technician, died as the result of an industrial disease, the coroner for Pembrokeshire, Mr. Michael Howells, decreed on Wednesday.

The coroner's investigating officer, PC Rogers, found that Frederick Slater, aged 80, of 16 The Green, Lydstep, who died on November 22, had begun his working life in the collieries of Nottinghamshire and had progressed to become a well qualified mining operator and supervisor.

He later moved to work in Saudi Arabia and then took up industrial painting within Wimpey Construction, before coming to West Wales and working on the Cleddau Bridge contract.

A heavy smoker, he had suffered with breathing problems for more than 20 years and had frequently attended clinics at Withybush General Hospital, Haverfordwest, and had been a patient being treated for pulmonary fibrosis.

In his post mortem report, Dr. Stephen Polacarz stated that he had found a number of pathologised conditions which could have caused respiratory failure - not least dense fibre tissues, similar to asbestos exposure.

Mr. Howells returned his verdict that death was due to silicosis - an industrial disease.