John Atkinson, 82, of Hillside, Mundesley, died at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N) on September 27 last year within hours of being sent home.

The retired technical manager, who was born in Leicester on January 14, 1943, had undergone extensive bowel surgery after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

The medical cause of death was given as septic shock caused by faecal peritonitis, due to an ileocolic anastomotic leak following surgery carried out on September 19.

Norfolk Coroner's Court, at County Hall in Norwich. (Image: Newsquest)

Norfolk Coroner’s Court was also told he also suffered from atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

An inquest heard that Mr Atkinson had initially been referred for urgent investigation after concerns about cancer. He was later found to have two tumours in different parts of his bowel.

Area coroner Yvonne Blake said: “He was referred on a two-week pathway because there was a suspicion of cancer.

“Unfortunately, he was found to have two tumours - one quite large - in two different places in the bowel.

“But the surgeons were hopeful they could get rid of them both completely.”

A family of a man has lodged a complaint against the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (Image: BRITTANY........

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