A NORTH-EAST MP, whose son-in-law died after surgery to amputate his foot, is to seek medical advice about his treatment in hospital.

Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, believes his daughter's husband, Eric Fawkes, 46, should have been prescribed an anti-coagulant to stop his blood clotting when he left the University Hospital of Hartlepool following the operation in January.

The father-of-two died in his wife Maxine's arms days after being discharged when a blood clot formed in his leg and travelled to his lung.

Mrs Fawkes, 40, a hospital theatre assistant, sobbed as she told an inquest yesterday how she woke in the night and heard him snoring.

"I tried to rouse Eric but he didn't wake up," she said. "I cuddled him and kissed him and told him I loved him, then I took my hand off and he breathed out and he never took another breath."

Teesside Coroner's Court heard that Mr Fawkes, a foreman joiner, of Carthorpe Drive, Billingham, Teesside, suffered agonising pain after developing gangrene in his left foot because of circulation problems caused by diabetes. He also had high blood pressure.

Surgeon Christopher Wood told the court that Mr Fawkes was on anti-coagulants after the surgery, but it was not normal practice to administer them to patients going home. "In his instance there was no evidence of clots at the time of his amputation."

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield, recording a verdict of death by misadventure, said he was satisfied that the surgery was carried out correctly.

But afterwards Mr Cook said he could not understand why someone with his son-in-law's medical history was not given anti-coagulants.

"I want to take medical advice which might supplement or even contradict Mr Ward's assessment," he said.

A North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust spokeswoman said: "We maintain that the treatment Mr Fawkes received was of the highest standard."