Lindsay Lipp, of Norwich, died on January 25 after being diagnosed with progressive lung mesothelioma in October 2024.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard the 70-year-old had first begun feeling unwell in August of the same year when she developed a persistent cough.

During the past 12 months of her life, her sister told the court her health had steadily declined.

She became increasingly fatigued and gradually withdrew from social activities.

In the final six to eight weeks before her death, she was no longer able to continue hobbies she loved including dancing and horse riding.

Norfolk Coroner's Court in Norwich (Image: Denise Bradley)

Evidence read to the court revealed Ms Lipp’s varied working life, which included roles involving horses, gardening and dog kennels. She had also worked as a housing officer.

However, attention focused on a period in the 1970s when she worked for a company in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, that manufactured and sold static caravans used as mobile homes and temporary classrooms.

Although her role was mainly office-based, Ms Lipp said she regularly had to go inside the factory to locate a colleague.

She estimated she walked through the production area around twice a week.

In a statement read at the inquest, she described the factory as “a dusty place”, where materials were sawed and dust from the process was visible in the air.

“Every time I entered the factory I walked past men sawing materials,” she said.

“Dust from the sawing process was visible in the air and I kicked it around as I moved through the factory.”

She believed asbestos had been used in the construction of the caravans for fire protection and said she remembered "brushing dust" from her shoes after leaving the building. She was not aware of any ventilation or extraction systems in the factory.

Assistant coroner Robin Weyell said there was evidence of asbestos exposure in her employment history, although the precise source could not be established.

He concluded Ms Lipp died from mesothelioma, caused on the balance of probabilities by exposure to asbestos.

© Eastern Daily Press