Garden hose danger

WITHIN a week of cleaning the terrace of our rented holiday cottage with a stiff broom and a garden hose, my husband, stephen, was dead.

Tests by the environmental health agency at north norfolk District Council showed dangerous levels of legionella bacteria in the hose.

It had been used a month earlier, then left on the lawn filled with water that warmed up in the sunshine, the perfect environment for bacteria to multiply.

The sweeping of the broom caused an aerosol, which my husband breathed in.

he was active and well, though with a heart condition, before he began having symptoms that appeared to

be an upset stomach, but rapidly developed into pneumonia. The intensive care unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University hospital did all it possibly could, but to no avail. We had no idea that a garden hose could be lethal. ALISON CLEMENTS,

Norwich, Norfolk.