Hospital bosses will review the way they give information to relatives following the death of a retired civil engineer.

Michael McNamara, 81, died suddenly in June after he appeared to be recovering from an operation for bowel cancer.

His wife Doreen and daughter Susan Brown told a coroner they had not been given enough information about his death at Worthing General Hospital.

Mrs Brown said she felt she had to "break down doors" to try to find out more about what had happened.

She added that repeated requests to speak to the surgeon who performed the operation were not acted on.

William Miles, Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust’s director of surgery, apologised to them at an inquest on Thursday and said an investigation will be held.

Mr Miles said: "There are a number of methods for communication which have quite clearly failed.

"I am more than happy to investigate these for the family after this hearing.

"We understand that in times of distress when things have gone wrong that is the time when communication is most important. When that fails it is most distressing.

"We try to make sure that does not happen but it does and for that I apologise."

Mr Miles said all unexpected deaths in hospital are fully investigated.

He said the lessons learned from Mr McNamara’s death would be passed on with appropriate training for staff.

Mr McNamara, of Offington Drive, Worthing, went into hospital for keyhole surgery on June 18.

Part of his bowel was removed to prevent cancerous polyps spreading to the rest of his body.

The operation was carried out by consultant surgeon Jonathan Winehouse and was observed by Mr Miles.

He appeared to be making a good recovery but a week later the repair to his colon ruptured.

He went into septic shock after a sudden and "catastrophic failure" of the repair and died on June 27 at 7.40am.

Mr Winehouse told the inquest he was not at the hospital at the time but felt attempts to resuscitate Mr McNamara should have been made.

He added that the family’s requests for meetings had not reached him.

The inquest heard that its was unlikely that Mr McNamara would have survived if further surgery had been carried out.

Mr Miles said 12 per cent of all bowel operations result in leakage or rupture.

Cause of death was given as peritonitis and faeces leaking into his abdomen after the repair to his colon ruptured.

West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield recorded a verdict that he died following necessary medical intervention.

Mr McNamara’s family did not want to comment as they left the inquest at Worthing town hall.