A RETIRED miner died from pneumonia years after he contracted coal miner's lung.

In inquest in Bolton opened into the death of 88-year-old Roy Clark where area coroner Prof Alan Walsh heard how the widower, of Hindley Road, Westhoughton, suffered a fall and was admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital before being transferred to Laburnum Lodge care home in July this year.

But on August 12 he was sent back to hospital suffering from a fever and shortness of breath.

He died three days later with a post mortem concluding his death was as a result of pneumonia, coal miner's pneumoconiosis, a condition caused by coal dust being inhaled, and heart disease. A full inquest will be held on June 25 next year.