A pantomime actor who died of lung cancer associated with exposure to asbestos was found to have no history of contact with the harmful substance, a coroner ruled.

George Gibson, otherwise known as Ken Gibson, died of mesothelioma aged 77 on February 26 this year and had a tumour in his left lung.

Senior coroner Chinyere Inyama revealed Mr Gibson, who lived in Staines Road, Twickenham, and was born on April 22, 1936, had other health issues, including kidney disease and Parkinson’s disease, which left him wheelchair-bound.

Mr Gibson had lost 20kg in a 12-month period before January 2014, and was receiving palliative care prior to his death.

He enjoyed decades of success since first taking to the stage in the 1950s and appeared alongside actors such as Sid James and Only Fools and Horses’ Kenneth MacDonald.