The hotel was the "most probable" source, the coroner said

Andrew Collins, 52, died at his home in Portishead, near Bristol, less than a week after flying back to Britain, Flax Bourton Coroner's Court was told.

Mr Collins began to feel ill on holiday with his friend Michael Tomlinson, 59, from Derbyshire, last December.

A verdict of death by natural causes was recorded after evidence he died of pneumonia brought on by Legionnaires'.

On his return to the UK Mr Tomlinson had also been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease at Derby City Hospital.

It would appear that the deceased complained about the shower and state of the water in his room and then the two gentlemen in the hotel contracted the disease Paul Forrest Avon coroner

The inquest was told that Mr Collins requested an early flight home and was later found by police dead in his bath.

Mr Tomlinson said his friend had raised concerns about the age of the air conditioning system and shower at their hotel in Kyrenia.

He said Mr Collins had described "brown liquid" emerging from the shower.

Dr Carol Joseph, of the Health Protection Agency's respiratory diseases department, said there had been a third case of Legionnaires' at the hotel in August 2003.

But that samples taken from Mr Collins and the hotel did not prove the hotel was the source of the disease.

Ian Truman, an environmental health consultant, concluded that while legionnella bacteria were present in the hotel's systems, it was impossible to say it was the "mechanism for transmission".

The two men could have contracted the disease in the UK before travelling or on excursions during their trip, he said.

Avon coroner Paul Forrest added: "It would appear that the deceased complained about the shower and state of the water in his room and then the two gentlemen in the hotel contracted the disease."

He said he considered that the three cases of the disease were linked and the hotel was the "most probable source".