OLD salt Ralph Holden went on a cruise down memory lane after discovering he was suffering from asbestosis that had laid dormant in his body for over 50 years.

An inquest heard that the 77-year-old widower booked himself on to a Mediterranean cruise so he could visit old haunts from his time in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and later in the Merchant Navy. But just over a month after his return, and only four months after the disease had first been diagnosed, he died in hospital.

The inquest was told that Mr Holden, of Peter Street, Blackburn, had worked for a firm called Longworths in the 1950s and his job had involved lagging pipes with asbestos.

His sister Jean Kitching, of Derby Street, Blackburn, said her brother had been an extremely fit man for his age and had no health problems at all until June of last year.

He started to suffer lower back pain and breathing difficulties. She said by July there had been a rapid deterioration.

"He lost weight, he lost his appetite and aged very suddenly," said Mrs Kitching.

In August Mr Holden saw an advert about working with asbestos and contacted the people concerned who arranged for some tests. They confirmed he was suffering from asbestosis.

Mrs Kitching said that in October her brother went on a cruise, visiting many places he had been when he was in the navy.

"He looked better when he came back because he was tanned but it didn't last," said Mrs Kitching. "He just started being ill again and got worse every day."

Mr Holden was taken into hospital on December 13 and died a week later.

The medical cause of death was given as bronchopneumonia. Coroner Carolyn Singleton recorded a verdict of industrial disease.