A former rigger at Pembroke Power Station died as a result of asbestosis, an inquest heard on Thursday.

Daniel Horace Glyn Collings was born and bred in Pembroke and when he finished school, aged 15, worked as a rigger, first in Pembrokeshire and then as a foreman in north Wales and Scotland.

In 1966, after the birth of his fourth child, Mr Collings moved back to Pembroke, where he worked as rigger at Pembroke Power Station.

The power station later closed and at the age of 50, Mr Collings took redundancy. He worked renovating properties until he retired and settled in Hundleton.

Acting coroner’s officer, Maggie Julien, told the inquest that around 13 years ago, Mr Collings was diagnosed with asbestosis, believed to have been caused by his exposure to asbestos when building the Pembroke Power Station, where at the time, multiple chemicals containing asbestos were used.

Mr Collings was later awarded compensation in court.

The inquest heard that Mr Collings used a mobility scooter and that his health had deteriorated over the last two years. Shielding at home due to Covid-19 had also had a significant impact.

Around ten weeks before his death Mr Collings fainted at home. He was taken to Withybush General Hospital, where he stayed for two nights. When he was discharged, he took to bed as he physically had no strength to do anything. He remained in bed on an oxygen machine with carers and his daughter visiting daily.

On June 16 this year Mr Collings’ son, daughter-in-law and daughter were at his house after his lifeline alarm went off. He was red in the face and said he thought he was dying.

They decided not to call an ambulance as the 80-year-old had previously signed paperwork saying he declined all medical intervention. Mr Collings died at 6am.

A report by Dr Bhari gave the cause of death as interstitial lung fibrosis which was asbestosis related.

Pembrokeshire Coroner, Paul Bennett, recorded a conclusion of death due to industrial disease, saying that Mr Collings died of interstitial lung fibrosis, developed during his working life as a consequence of exposure to asbestos.