THE destruction created by bombings in wartime London may have caused a county woman to die of a tumour 60 years later, an inquest heard.

Bombed asbestos-laden buildings near Diana Bethell's childhood home could have triggered the mesothelioma in her right lung, which killed her last September.

The 67-year-old moved to Stretton Sugwas in the late 1940s and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2002.

Hereford pathologist, Dr Sam Banerjee confirmed the diagnosis although he did not find any asbestos fibres in her lungs. He believed that because only a small sample of lung matter was taken, asbestos fibres may have been present in other areas.

"There is a possible history of exposure during the war," said Dr Banerjee."Houses used to have asbestos in them."

Mrs Bethell spent much of her working life at Sugwas Farm and Raymond Morgan Jones, son of her employer, said she worked mostly outside and in large sheds. He said although some of the roofing was of asbestos, they were not disturbed while she worked there.

County coroner, David Halpern, said there was a chance mesothelioma could be caused by another source but it was probably because of exposure to asbestos.

"It would be nice to point to where that came from," he added. "She may have become exposed during the war."