JOHN Sumner was able to tell the inquest into his own death about the working conditions at Padiham Power Station that ultimately led to his demise.

The former maintenance foreman made a statement before his death in which he said he understood he might be suffering from asbestos-related cancer.

He told of his daily and unprotected exposure to the killer dust that strikes decades later.

Mr Sumner, 73, of Warwick Drive, Clitheroe, died in November but made his statement at the end of September, telling of his 22 years with the Central Electricity Generating Board base at Padiham.

Mr Sumner started at the giant plant in 1961 as a maintenance fitter working on turbines, boilers, slag extractors and coal milling plant. He said the 160ft high boilers were insulated with asbestos and there were miles of pipework in the station, much of it lagged with asbestos.

Teams of asbestos laggers worked at the plant and they and Mr Sumner removed lagging by hand almost daily. Mr Sumner worked at the power station from 1961 until his retirement at the age of 55 in 1983 and he said masks and other protective clothing were not issued until the last couple of years of his employment.

His statement told how dry asbestos powder was mixed to make the lagging and asbestos sheets were cut with hand tools.

"We used compressed air lines to blow the dust off our clothes before going into the canteen," said Mr Sumner. He said asbestos and coal dust used to be carried upwards by the heat in the power station and collected on the steel work which was cleared using hand brushes.

The medical cause of death was given as malignant plural maesothelioma and coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease.

"It is particularly sad that this man suffered for no other reason than that he was a hard-working man who carried out the instructions given to him," said Mr Singleton.

Mr Sumner's family were legally represented at the inquest and it is understood they are pursuing a civil claim.

His son, Gerald Sumner, declined to comment.