ELECTRICAL engineer Stuart Hobbs was struck down by an industrial disease which developed from his fatal exposure to asbestos around three decades before his death.

A High Wycombe inquest heard how the 61-year-old from Holmer Green, who worked in building services, had been a healthy man who worked up until a fortnight before the cancer killed him.

Dr Yoon Chia, consultant pathologist to South Bucks NHS Trust, said Mr Hobbs had developed cancer in his lungs and the tumour had even encased one of them.

She said he also had tumour deposits in other parts of his body and it had been very extensive and widespread.

His wife, Christine Hobbs, told the inquest that her husband's health had been good but when the symptoms of the cancer had set in, he had deteriorated quickly and died on December 12 last year. She said he began to feel a tightening in his chest and went for an x-ray.

When he went to see a consultant who had looked at his x-ray, he was immediately asked if he had any contact with asbestos.

The Inquest heard how he had worked as an engineer in building services and would have been exposed to asbestos in the course of his work.

Richard Hulett, coroner for Buckinghamshire, gave the verdict that Mr Hobbs died of an industrial disease.