A BRITISH Airways co-pilot who believed he had been poisoned by repeated exposure to contaminated cockpit air died as he sought treatment abroad because UK doctors “did not believe him”, an inquest has heard.

Richard Westgate died in December 2012 after he had moved to the Netherlands to seek help from a specialist clinic for his symptoms which he thought were caused by “aerotoxic syndrome”.

His twin brother, Guy Westgate, told the Salisbury inquest that his brother had been in “excruciating pain” as he suffered from various symptoms, including digestive problems, fatigue and headaches.

These included digestive problems, fatigue, general pain, headaches, loss of cognitive ability, clumsiness and inability to sense temperature.

The 47-year-old, who is also a BA pilot, said his brother felt let down and angered by doctors and specialists in Britain, including those from his employer BA, and went to Hilversum in Holland.

He said: “The specialists in Holland were the first group of specialists who gave him a light at the end of the tunnel that they believed in him. He went there to be cured.”

Fighting back tears, he added: “He would describe pain in his brain, he felt his head had been tin-opened and his brain had been sandpapered. It was the only way he could describe the severity of his pain.”

However, coroner Dr Simon Fox QC ruled at the start of the inquest that “exposure to organophosphate” will not be considered during the week-long hearing.

Retired Dorset coroner Sheriff Payne had issued a report to prevent future deaths to BA and the Civil Aviation Authority in February 2015 regarding his concerns arising from the case.

Mr Westgate was from Marlborough in Wiltshire, but his parents live in Dorset and he was buried in the county.

The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE) says aerotoxic syndrome is caused by cabin air coming directly from the aircraft engines, which causes exposure to engine oils and hydraulic fuels. The air industry has argued there is no threat to passengers or crew.