A DEAF and dumb man died following surgery to remove a tumour which did not exist, an inquest heard.

Dennis Daniell was admitted to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, after complaining of diarrh-oea and difficulty swallowing.

Teesside Coroner's Court heard that the 64-year-old, who had been deaf and dumb since childhood due to meningitis, communicated his symptoms through his family.

David Clarke, a surgeon at James Cook, said Mr Daniell, a retired window cleaner, had lost three stone in the three months prior to his death, which suggested cancer.

Tests on his bowel showed what appeared to be a tumour and an operation was carried out, during which Mr Daniell became ill. No tumour was found but he died soon after, on November 21, 2000.

"We had every reason to think there was cancer of the bowel and there was no reason to suggest he could not have surgery," said Mr Clarke.

Pathologist David Scoones said Mr Daniell, of Cargo Fleet Lane, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, died of multiple organ failure, adding he had been in extremely poor health, suffering from heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver.

But he believed "death would not have occurred at the time it did had the surgical intervention not taken place".

Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.