Retired miner's work for 30+ years at Sutton, Thoresby and Sherwood collieries contributed to his death

John Vernon Curley passed away at 01.49am, on April 8, at King's Mill Hospital, at the age of 83, said Amanda Bewley, assistant coroner of Nottinghamshire.

No post-mortem was carried out and the medical examiner proposed metastatic carcinoma of the prostate as the main cause of his death.

Hypertension and pneumoconiosis, with a progressive massive fibrosis, were identified as contributory factors.

Pneumoconiosis is a form of lung disease caused by breathing in certain kinds of dust particles in the workplace, and is called an occupational lung disease.

The coroner said Mr Curley, who received benefits for respiratory problems, was brought to hospital by ambulance on March 24 and spent time in the emergency department.

He was admitted after several weeks of decline which affected his ability to carry out basic tests, as well as back pain.

He was put on end of life care several days after his admission.

The inquest heard Mr Curley was a coal face worker at Thoresby Colliery from 1957-1968; as an overman at Sutton Colliery from 1968 until its closure in 1989; and again as an overman at Sherwood Colliery until it closed in 1990.

On Tuesday, the coroner recorded industrial disease as the cause of death as “there was very clear evidence of occupational exposure to coal dust and silica.”

She expressed her sincere condolences to Mr Curley’s family and thanked then for their help.