AN ELDERLY couple from Weymouth died from carbon monoxide poisoning just two weeks after celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary, an inquest heard.

Leslie and Grace Thomas, aged 84 and 82, were discovered at their home in Quibo Lane, Westham, on November 24 last year.

An inquest at Bournemouth Coroner’s Court heard how the couple were found in their kitchen by police, with Mrs Thomas in her pyjamas and Mr Thomas fully dressed.

The couple first moved into the house in 1996, having met in 1954 and married at St Paul’s Church in Weymouth the same year.

But the boiler had never been serviced since they had lived there and had an inefficient ventilation system, the inquest heard.

The couple also used a coal burner in their living room, but a build up of soot was blocking the gauze. Michael Fisher, a safety enforcement engineer for British Gas, said the couple’s boiler was approximately 30 years old and British Gas had never serviced the boiler themselves.

He said the boiler required permanent ventilation and initial tests proved that carbon monoxide was escaping from the boiler.

Mr Fisher added: “Calibration tests showed 27 times the amount of carbon monoxide emitting from the boiler than the normal amount, which was incredibly worrying.

“The bend on top of the boiler inhibited the flow of fumes away from the house and the air supply providing ventilation was taped over with cardboard and masking tape.”

Post-mortem results showed that Leslie had 74 per cent of carboxyhaemoglobin in his bloodstream while Grace had 76.2 per cent.

Leslie and Grace’s daughter, Linda McCarthy, paid a touching tribute to her parents.

She said: “Mum and Dad celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on November 6. “They were two completely different characters who were well known and well liked.

“They are still very much missed by all the family and hold a special place in all our hearts.”

But she added that the idea of servicing the boiler never occurred to them.

Dorset Coroner Sheriff Payne, recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: “The couple had been married for a very long time and lived in their house more than 30 years, but in that time their boiler had never been serviced. The couple’s deaths were entirely unintentional, this was a complete accident.”

The funeral of Mr and Mrs Thomas took place on December 9 at Weymouth Crematorium.

Gas is a ‘silent killer’

CARBON monoxide is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ and it is believed to cause 200 hospital admissions and 40 deaths in the UK every year.

Carbon monoxide is difficult to detect because it has no smell, taste or colour. It is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal or wood do not burn fully. After breathing in carbon monoxide, it enters the blood stream and mixes with haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin.

When this happens, blood is unable to carry oxygen.