CLAIMS that an 82-year-old man was roughly handled and pinned down by hospital staff, leaving him with severe bruising, are being investigated.

Pensioner Joseph Harris told his sons he was dragged up a corridor, thrown on a hospital bed, pinned down by two grown men and sedated, after he tried to pack his bag and leave the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton.

The hospital then imposed a "deprivation of liberty" order on him, allowing him to be kept in hospital against his will.

Since being sedated, his sons say the former pitman has fallen from his bed twice, the first time injuring his head, the second time suffering a black eye - despite being under 24-hour supervision.

Cleveland Police launched an investigation into the matter last week but said yesterday (Monday June 15): "It now appears that this is a matter solely for the hospital to investigate. Should any further information or concerns come to light in terms of any potential criminal element to this complaint then of course police would immediately reopen our investigation."

Mr Harris' son Geoff, from Wingate, East Durham, said: "He is 5ft 2 and only weighs seven and a half stone, and is disabled after a stroke with no use of his left arm. Why did they need to use that much force?

"My dad's good hand was black and blue from his wrist to his shoulder. The hospital said he had pulled the cannula out with his teeth, which caused the bruising, but my dad is mentally fine and has never told a lie in his life.

"One of the members of staff had said to him "you don't want to go out there because the bogeyman will get you."

Mr Harris said police had not taken a formal statement from his father, saying he lacked mental capacity, although there had been no diagnosis of this.

A spokesperson for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are taking these matters extremely seriously and we are currently in contact with the family to address their concerns."

Elderly Mr Harris has been in hospital, with a brief spell in a care home for a few nights, since March 22 with chest pains and without a proper diagnosis, until he had a minor heart attack last week.

Geoff Harris said he believed the treatment of his father, who was a St John's Ambulance volunteer for more than 20 years, had been "abusive and neglectful".

He said that his father had been agitated due to his heart condition, but that staff had written in his notes that he was aggressive - something he had seen no evidence of.