EXPOSURE to the asbestos-covered overalls of his father through some exuberant adventures as a playful youngster has resulted in the death of a 49-year-old man.

EXPOSURE to the asbestos-covered overalls of his father through some exuberant adventures as a playful youngster has resulted in the death of a 49-year-old man.

Barry Lewin, of Chesterton Close, Ipswich, died on January 13 after a history of problems caused by coming into contact with asbestos dust brought into his family home on his father's clothes.

The inquest into his death, held at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday , heard that Mr Lewin was exposed to the asbestos many years ago as a result of his father's job as a pipeline inspector.

The inquest was told of how Mr Lewin's father would leave his clothes hanging up in the hall way of the family home, providing an ideal hiding place for the young Mr Lewin in games of hide and seek.

Speaking after the inquest, his wife, Susan, said: "They think he picked it up through playing among his father's overalls and coats. He never worked with asbestos himself.

"It is sad, but we knew he was ill. He was diagnosed with the problem in June 2001," she added.

In a written statement, Jamey Morgan, consultant clinical oncologist at Ipswich Hospital, said Mr Lewin had a history of getting "breathless" but was otherwise "healthy".

Having been diagnosed with the problem, Mr Lewin, who has a 24-year-old son, died from a malignant mesothelioma of the pleura one-and-a-half-years later.

This was despite Mr Lewin undergoing several programmes of chemotherapy to cure the problem, which affected his lungs.

Mr Lewin had lived in Ipswich for the last ten years, having been born and bred in Rotherham. It was in Rotherham where the former heavy goods vehicle driving instructor, who also worked in the RAF, came into contact with the dust.

Deputy coroner Roger Stewart recorded a verdict of death caused by industrial disease.