Grandfather killed after massive overdose of chemotherapy drugs in hospital blunder

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A medical blunder meant that dairy farmer David Hirst, 68, received a full day's worth of Fluorouracil in only two hours from an intravenous drip in hospital.

Staff at Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital then proceeded with his five-day chemotherapy course without first consulting a doctor.

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Tragic: Angela Hirst with a picture of her husband David who died after being given days worth of drugs in just two hours

Mr Hirst was discharged in January this year but collapsed and died on his way home to Macclesfield.

Yesterday his widow Angela, 68, said she heard of the error only months later through the coroner's documents.

She said: "I was so angry I actually got in the car and started driving to the hospital.

"It made me so mad to think he would still have been alive if they had taken 30 seconds to read the instructions properly."

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Mad: Angela was angry to find out about the blunder months after David's death

Recording a narrative verdict at the inquest in Manchester, Coroner Nigel Meadows said the cause of death was a heart attack, but added: "It is unclear whether the overdose contributed to his death.

"What is important is to ensure steps have been taken to prevent a similar occurrence."