A man who collapsed in front of his wife while he was eating an apple died as a result of a heart problem caused by a genetic illness, an inquest heard.

The inquest was told that initially it was thought Bryan Orrell had choked on a piece of apple which was removed from his throat at hospital.

But the pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination changed his view after heard Michelle Orrell's description of her husband's final moments.

She said Mr Orrell, a self-employed landscape contractor, had driven to a job in Weston-Super-Mare in March and returned home to Carus Avenue, Hoddlesden, on the same day.

She said he was exhausted after his 14-hour working day.

Mrs Orrell said her husband was eating an apple when he suddenly slumped to the floor.

She believed he was unconscious before he hit the floor.

The inquest heard that Mr Orrell had been diagnosed as suffering from Marfan's Syndrome, an hereditary condition which affects the elasticity of body tissue and bones, as well as the heart and blood vessels, but the condition had not interfered with his day-to-day living.

Dr Abdul Al Dawoud said he had not been aware of Mrs Orrell's description of her husband's collapse at the time he conducted the post-mortem examination.

He had found evidence of a blockage in the larynx but if Mr Orrell had choked he would have been fighting for breath as a natural reaction.

In the absence of that reaction he gave the cause of death as mitral valve prolapse which deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton said was a natural cause of death.

"The piece of apple in his larynx had nothing to do with his death," said Mrs Singleton.

At the time of her husband's death, Mrs Orrell paid tribute to his dedication to his work and his family.