A CARPENTER who worked in the Ministry of Defence underground base near Corsham died of lung cancer caused by an industrial disease, a coroner has found.

Maurice Bilby, 81, of Southwick Road, North Bradley, died on November 28 last year.

He was confined to his bed for the last three years of his life and cared for by his wife Nora.

A carpenter by trade, Mr Bilby started work at a local Devizes-based firm.

From 1952 he was contracted to work in the underground quarries at Corsham, much of which was used by the MoD as a weapons store and bunker.

Mrs Bilby said: "He worked there on and off for 10 years. He said it was very dusty because they were grinding stone down there. I didn't know much about what he was doing because the Official Secrets Act prevented him from discussing it.

"He mentioned to me that there was asbestos down in the quarries."

Mr Bilby left the job in the 1960s and set up a small building firm with his brother and son.

His wife said: "He continued to come home covered in wood dust and he was a heavy smoker, getting through 20 a day.

"Just after he had built us a bungalow he started having problems with his lungs.

"I told him that if he gave up smoking he would be alright but he carried on.

"As the years went by it got worse and worse until he had to retire in the 1980s.

"His health got worse and he became bedridden. He gave up smoking in 2003 because it became too much."

He collapsed at home in November and died.

A consultant pathologist at Salisbury District Hospital found the cause of death to be cancer of the lung due to asbestos exposure.

Giving evidence at the inquest held in Trowbridge Town Hall on Monday, Doug Hills, the coroner's officer, said: "The MoD quarries at Corsham used large fans to circulate air around the tunnels.

"The majority of the underground tunnels were lined with asbestos sheeting.

"When they were damaged or being repaired the asbestos particles would circulate in the atmosphere throughout the entire complex.

"I know of at least six other cases of death by industrial disease caused by this in the last 18 years."

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters said: "Mr Bilby's death from lung cancer was due to asbestos exposure. He also had heart problems."

He recorded a verdict of industrial disease.