Gloria Dawson, a theatre worker, loved to present flowers to the leading ladies. But being present when the curtain came down was to cost her life.

Mrs Dawson developed a disease caused by asbestos from a crumbling fire safety curtain, an inquest was told.

She worked at the municipal Hexagon Theatre in Reading for 25 years, beginning as an usherette and working her way up to assistant house manager. After retiring in 2001 the grandmother continued to work part-time and would present actors with after-show flowers on stage, breathing in the asbestos with every encore.

She had mesothelioma diagnosed in 2005. In a statement to her solicitors before she died in June, Mrs Dawson, 69, said: “From time to time there would be flying scenes. This could result in asbestos being disturbed. The fire safety curtain would come up and down during shows and asbestos would be released.”

The inquest heard written evidence from bosses at The Hexagon which said that the curtain posed “a reasonable risk to health from the release of asbestos fibres into the atmosphere”. Reading Borough Council admitted liability for Mrs Dawson’s compensation claim last year, but denied the disease had been caused from her work. A spokesman said that the asbestos was removed in 2003 and the fire curtain was no longer in use. A financial settlement was agreed prior to the week.

Peter Bedford, the Berkshire coroner, recorded a verdict of death from the industrial disease of malignant mesothelioma.

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