More evidence has been heard at an inquest into the death of a husband and wife, who died whilst on holiday in Egypt, which continued today, five years on from their deaths. 

John Cooper, 69, and Susan Cooper, 63, from Burnley, died whilst on a Thomas Cook holiday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada on August 21, 2018.

Senior coroner Dr James Adeley opened the case yesterday (November 7) by apologising to the family for the case taking so long to reach the Coroner's Court during the hearing at Blackburn Town Hall.

Today the court heard from pathologists who had carried out post-mortem examinations on John and Susan after their deaths.

Home Office Pathologist Charles Alexander Wilson said he categorically disagreed with some of the findings in a post-mortem report carried out by the Egyptian authorities.

The report stated a reason of death for John could have been due to his prior heart condition, and Susan may have died shortly after due to the psychological effects of her husband's illness.

Dr Wilson said: “For the Egyptian authorities to claim Susan died of a stress related condition due to seeing her husband die shortly before, is inconceivable.”

The pair were staying at the Steingenberger Aqua Magic Hotel, a five-star hotel on the Egyptian coast in a huge tourism complex featuring several swimming pools and a golf course.

Their all-inclusive holiday had been booked through Thomas Cook, where Mrs Cooper had been a ‘long-standing' member of staff at the Bureau Exchange.

A witness from the next room to the couple stated he had heard the hotel had been repairing air conditioning units, after John, Susan, and grand-daughter Molly complained about a 'pasta-like smell' in their room.

A statement from the witness, a German traveller named Dominic Bibi, also stated his mother-in-law's room, adjoined to the Coopers', had been treated with a pesticide known as 'Lambada'.

Toxicologist Professor Robert Chilcott also gave evidence at the inquest, stating the reports from the Egyptian government described the hotel had used a dilution liquid within the pesticide, named Dichloromethane, a substance banned in the UK for general use.

He said that when ingested,carbon monoxide could be produced from the solvent which may have a lethal effect if in high quantities.

Professor Chilcott said: "On the balance of probabilities, I think it is clear that we are talking about a large exposure to a toxic chemical from the amounts found in John and Susan's blood."

Coroner Dr James Adeley adjourned the inquest until Friday where it will resume in Preston, where he will review evidence from all witnesses and the Egyptian government to give his conclusion on how the couple came about their deaths.

The hearing will continue on Friday at 12pm.