A 69-year-old woman from Bexleyheath died 50 years after inhaling asbestos dust from her boiler-maker father's overalls, an inquest heard.

Betty Barran, of Canberra Road, died on March 24, this year, of a lung tumour caused by asbestos exposure as a child.

Her son Paul Barran, of Chieveley Road, told Southwark Coroner's Court she had grown up in a pre-fab home in Leeds, which was made of asbestos.

The court heard how Mrs Barran suffered from increasing breathlessness, in May 2001, and a tumour was later discovered.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Selena Lynch said although Mrs Barran was not exposed to asbestos at work, she came into contact with it through her father.

She said: "That is well-recognised as a cause of the disease, particularly when wives are washing asbestos-soiled clothing."

The asbestos pre-fab would only have exposed her to asbestos if the building had been damaged, she added.

Mrs Lynch explained because Mrs Barran had not been working with asbestos, she could not record a verdict of industrial disease. Nor was the death natural so she had to record a verdict of accidental death.

She told Mrs Barran's family: "I know that is strange but that is how these deaths are recorded."

July 9, 2002 13:00