Inquiry as ankle man loses leg

12:50pm Friday 25th July 2008

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AN inquiry is being held by bosses of Fairfield Hospital after it was alleged a patient had to have his leg amputated because a plastercast was fitted too tight.

Tom Talks, aged 80, from Rochdale, was fitted with a cast after he broke his ankle while walking his pet dog. He said his leg became very swollen after being encased in the cast, resulting in an emergency amputation from above the knee at North Manchester General Hospital, where he remains for treatment.

He said the shock of the operation brought on a heart attack and renal failure, but said he was not ‘bitter’ about the incident.

A spokesman for Pennine Acute Trust, which runs Fairfield and North Manchester general hospitals, confirmed a complaint had been made but could not comment further.