Luke Brooks died last October from acute respiratory distress syndrome, which his parents - Patricia and James Brooks - have blamed on mould in the damp property where they lived in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

His condition was caused by aspergillus pneumonia - a type of mould which pathologist Dr Abdul Ganjifrockwala said he found in the 27-year-old's lungs during a post-mortem examination.

Mr Brooks' mother previously told an inquest in Rochdale that she begged Oldham Council to help her family move from the property on Huxley Street, which she said was plagued with damp and a leaky roof.

But today, a police officer and environmental health manager both said they inspected the house after Mr Brooks' death, concluding that there was insignificant mould in the bathroom, and none in the living room or the bedroom.

Both inspectors acknowledged that the house had been cleaned and was not in the same condition Mr Brooks would have been living in.

When asked by senior coroner Joanne Kearsley if there was "significant" mould in the house, Joanne Collier, assistant environmental health manager for the council, said: "No, there was mould growing in the bathroom ceiling which needed attending to, but it was not significant in that it was not in the living room, not in the bedroom. It wasn't in those lifestyle areas you're constantly going in."

She said there had been "missed opportunities in regard to customer care" after the council's environmental health team never organised an inspection at the Brooks' family home, despite being contacted in 2021 by charity Positive Steps about the property being in disrepair.

Detective Inspector Andrew Fink, of Greater Manchester Police, said he noticed a small patch of mould above the radiator in the bathroom but in no other areas.

He said Mr Brooks' sister Sarah had told him she had extensively cleaned his bedroom and removed any mould.

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Fungus expert Professor Malcolm Richardson said he found "very, very little" evidence of aspergillus in the house, with just one spore found in the bedroom that Mr Brooks shared with his friend Chris Haycock and their three dogs.

Meanwhile, an infectious disease specialist said "no single factor" could be confirmed as a cause of the condition Mr Brooks suffered.

Dr Chris Kosmidis said Mr Brooks had reported symptoms - such as a cough, rash and sore throat - which "could be suggestive of a viral infection," and which could have made him more susceptible to aspergillus.

The expert said he could not find cases of aspergillus pneumonia linked to a mouldy room, but there were suggestions of links with smoking cannabis, which Mr Brooks was known to do. However, he added the connection "cannot be proven".

The inquest continues.