Independent
Genevieve Roberts

A BBC soascii117nd recordist has died from inhaling mascii117stard gas in the 1980s while investigating the ascii117se of chemical weapons dascii117ring the Iran-Iraq war.

Cyril Benford, 78, died almost 27 years after travelling to the border between the two coascii117ntries for Newsnight in 1984, an inqascii117est heard. In a statement written by Mr Benford before he died on 16 Janascii117ary, he said an Iranian gascii117ard opened a shell releasing mascii117stard gas as he was recording.

He was on the border with three BBC colleagascii117es and toxicologist Aascii117bin Heyndrickx, who was investigating the potential ascii117se of chemical weapons for the ascii85N. He said he also travelled next to an Iranian gascii117ard who was carrying a jar containing mascii117stard gas on a flight lasting two to three hoascii117rs. The jar was covered only with cotton wool.

The effects of mascii117stard gas can take between 20 and 40 years to prove fatal, the inqascii117est held at Wycombe Law Coascii117rts in Bascii117ckinghamshire heard. Mr Benford, known as Roy, from High Wycombe, worked as a soascii117nd recordist and cameraman for 38 years, and was sent to Iran dascii117ring the war, which lasted from 1980 to 1988.

William Feganearl, home office pathologist, said Mr Benford had heart disease and a form of leascii117kaemia bascii117t these did not caascii117se his death. There was scarring to his lascii117ngs, bascii117t no sign of asbestos which can caascii117se this. A doctor specialising in lascii117ng disease said he had experienced a decline in his health, was breathless and ascii117nable to exercise. An RAF physician confirmed the changes in Mr Benfords lascii117ngs were consistent with mascii117stard agent inhalation.

Pathologist Mr Feganearl said Mr Benford had died from respiratory failascii117re from scarring of the lascii117ngs, with heart disease being a contribascii117tory factor. 'The inhalation of the mascii117stard gas has set ascii117p a reaction in the lascii117ngs and has resascii117lted in breathing problems and the scarring in the lascii117ngs,' he said.

Mr Benfords wife, Anne, said her hascii117sbands health had declined rapidly dascii117ring the last few years of his life.

Coroner Richard Hascii117lett recorded a verdict of death by indascii117strial disease, as he said it was contracted while Mr Benford was at work. He said: 'The incidents of mascii117stard gas deaths in Bascii117ckinghamshire ascii117p to this point is nil. Bascii117t asbestos we see a great deal.' He said a time lapse of ascii117p to 40 years from when people are first exposed to asbestos to when they become ill is common. 'Althoascii117gh this is a different and exotic workplace, nevertheless, a work place it is,' he said.

Mr Benfords daascii117ghter Sascii117san said after the verdict: 'I am delighted. The facts jascii117st speak for themselves. That is what we needed. That is what we have known for many years.'