A retired drayman died in hospital after contracting coronavirus, an inquest opening has heard.

Patrick Goulding, 84, of Blenheim Crescent in Sprowston, was admitted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital earlier this month after suffering shortness of breath and abdomen pain.

He died last week, on Tuesday, May 19.

Opening an inquest into his death on Wednesday, senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said that Dr Lewis, of the NNUH, had given his medical cause of death as Covid-19.

Mr Goulding had also been diagnosed with mesothelioma 12 years ago.

His son described him as “a kind, sweet, generous man who will be missed by his family and friends”.

A further pre-inquest review was scheduled for 11.30am on Thursday, July 16.

Meanwhile an inquest also opened into the death of 65-year-old Gerald Starnes, of Thornage Hall, Holt, who died in the hospital on the same day, having been admitted following a fall.

Mr Starnes had a condition called Fragile X syndrome and suffered a fracture as a result of the fall. His medical cause of death was given as hospital-acquired pneumonia.

A full inquest into his death was scheduled for August 12.

Apology

A previous version of this story published on May 27 mistakenly reported that Mr Goulding was a drainage worker, It also did not mention his mesothelioma diagnoses.

We are sincerely sorry for the distress these errors caused to his family.