HOSPITAL staff have made a formal apology to an elderly man and his family after wrongly diagnosing him with cancer.

Joe Willcock was distraught when he was told his 84-year old father, also called Joe, was dying from cancer and had only three months to live.

Mr Willcock Jr had to break the news to his family.

He even took his father, a war veteran, on a last trip to Blackpool, one of his favourite places, to make his last few weeks happier.

He did not tell his father that he had the illness, fearing he would not be able to cope with the news.

Mr Willcock Snr was twice treated for fluid on his lung at Sunderland Royal Hospital. It was during the second stay, last year, that his family received the news that he had cancer. But six weeks later, the hospital said there had been a mistake. Further tests showed he did not have the disease.

Mr Willcock, 58, of Biddick Woods, near Washington, Wearside, said: "I'm over the moon that he hasn't got cancer and we've still got him."

But he added: "It's farcical. I had to tell my brother and sister he had cancer. They were devastated."

A hospital spokeswoman said: "The initial results suggested that secondary cancer may be present.

"However, on review and further consideration this was not felt to be the case.

"The issue was not a mix-up of test results but a genuine review and reflection on appropriate investigations."