A pensioner died in hospital after an operation went wrong, an inquest was told.

Dennis Miles, 86, was fit and healthy when he posed for this picture on a family trip to Venice in March last year.

But months later he was dead after his bladder was ruptured during a routine proceedure to fit a catheter.

An inquest in Worthing was told that doctors did not realise he was suffering from peritonitis, a painful bacterical infection, after urine leaked into his abdomen.

He died despite his family raising concerns that the catheter was in the wrong position and was leaking.

Yesterday a coroner ruled that he had heard no evidence to show that Mr Miles, who was known as Fred, had died as a result of negligence.

His son Roy, from Portslade, said the family were not satisfied with the verdict.

Mr Miles became ill with a stomach upset at his home in Highdown Close, Southwick, on July 4 last year.

His condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Worthing Hospital 11 days later with kidney failure and a catheter was fitted.

He was sent to Southlands Hospital, Shoreham, for rehabilitation six weeks later and then to Kingsland House care home in Shoreham.

The catheter was not draining his bladder properly and on September 19 he was sent back to Worthing Hospital.

After an attempt to insert a cathether under local anaesthetic failed Mr Thomas Liston, consultant urologist, operated to insert the new catheter.

Mr Miles' peritoneum, the lining that protects the abdomen, was perforated during that operation but the catheter was inserted properly into the his bladder.

He was later sent back to Kingsland House where on October 7 district nurse Alison Goodson was called in to change the catheter.

Barrister William Emmerson, who represented Mr Miles' family at the inquest said: “The catheter, instead of going into the bladder went into the abdominal wall.”

Mr Miles died in hospital ten days later the inquest was told.

Pathologist Dr Keith Roberts gave cause of death as perforation of the bladder due to suprapubic catheter.

Coroner Dr David Skipp in a narrative verdict stated: “Mr Miles was in a debilitated medical condition and required a suprapubic catheter.

“He suffered from a complication as a result of that procedure and died from peritonitis.

“I have not found any evidence that I can record a verdict of neglect.”.

Pam Lelliott, spokeswoman for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are very sorry that Mr Miles died whilst in our care.

“The Trust is always looking at ways to improve its services and will take on board the comments made by the coroner.”