A POPULAR Farnworth PCSO died as a result of being exposed to asbestos while working as a gas fitter and a plumber earlier in his career, a coroner has ruled.

Trevor Wyatt, who was known to his colleagues and local residents as "the face of Farnworth", died on October 7 last year at the age of 57, after bravely battling mesothelioma for 16 months.

In a hearing at Heywood Coroner's Court yesterday, assistant coroner Catherine McKenna ruled that Mr Wyatt's death was caused by industrial disease.

Ms McKenna told the court that Mr Wyatt's wife, Jeanette, said that she "did not feel able to attend court" for the hearing.

Instead, the court heard a statement from Mrs Wyatt, in which she said that her husband is "sadly missed by us all".

The statement read: "Trevor was a real family man. He loved football with the boys. Our youngest plays for Manchester United, so there was a lot of travelling to and from the training ground.

"Trevor was never ill, and he never had any days off sick. Trevor used to say: 'If I ever get ill, I know it will be something big, because I am never ill.'"

Mr Wyatt, who was born in Bury, was the youngest of 13 children, and attended St Paul's Primary School in Bury, later moving to Seedfield Comprehensive.

He completed an apprenticeship in plumbing, and later worked for SG Woodcock in Bury, but was made redundant from the firm, aged 21.

He then began to take on subcontracting work, and later took on the role of caretaker at Bury College in 1995, where he met his wife in 1996, who was working as a cashier.

The couple married on Valentine's Day in 1998, and Mr Wyatt continued to work at the college until 2003, when he became a police community support officer (PCSO) in 2003.

Mr Wyatt, a father-of-three who leaves his sons George, aged 11, and Thomas, aged 15, as well as grown up daughter Rebecca, first became aware of his health problems in September 2013, when his chest began to tighten, and he could not get comfortable.

He underwent tests, and it was later confirmed that he had contracted mesothelioma, which his family believed was caused by his exposure to asbestos during his apprenticeship and subcontracting work — a suspicion that was confirmed during the inquest.

Mr Wyatt, who lived with his wife in Windermere Drive, Ramsbottom, then completed chemotherapy aimed at limiting the illness, which initially showed promising signs, but later the cancer was found to be growing again, battling it until he passed away at his home.

More than 300 people attended Mr Wyatt's funeral, and his legacy will be the Community Support Officer of the Year award, which his colleagues have created in his honour.