THE widow of a man who had to endure a five-year "living nightmare" after cancer surgery went wrong has won six-figure damages.

Weeks before the case was due to go to trial, Hartlepool Health Authority agreed to make a substantial out-of-court settlement to Betty MacDonald, 68, formerly of Duncan Road, Hartlepool.

It followed a long legal battle over her claims of a catalogue of errors in the treatment of her husband's bowel cancer.

The sum paid to Mrs MacDonald included a five-figure compensation payment from her husband's former GP, Dr JKB Patel, after delays in diagnosing the disease.

Her husband Ken, aged 60, suffered brain damage after an operation for bowel cancer in November 1992.

Father-of-three Mr MacDonald, a former loader at the Expanded Metal Company, visited Dr Patel's Wynyard Road surgery more than a dozen times between June and October 1992, complaining of irregular bowel habits, rectal bleeding and weight loss.

Despite being assured by Dr Patel that a negative test result ruled out any serious disease, he was eventually referred to Hartlepool General Hospital in October 1992 where it was confirmed he had bowel cancer.

Following surgery, Mr Mac- Donald developed serious complications due to infection which led to him being put on a life-support machine

Although he was cured of cancer when he was discharged in February 1993, he was severely brain-damaged.

With the help of nurses the MacDonald family provided round-the-clock-care until his death in January 1998.

Mrs MacDonald's solicitor, John Hall, of Tilly, Bailey & Irvine, said: "Kenneth endured what can only be described as a living nightmare for more than five years."

Mrs MacDonald said: "I only hope that my actions have led to an improvement locally in the diagnosis and treatment of this terrible disease and that my husband's death was not in vain."

Last night, Dr Patel said: "Mistakes were made. I have apologised to the family."