A MISPLACED feeding tube which pierced the lung of a father suffering from pneumonia had 'hastened his death', an inquest heard.

Howard William Crabtree was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital on September 22 in 2017 after suffering a cardiac arrest in his home in Baker Street, Burnley.

The inquest at Blackburn town hall heard the 51-year-old was taken to the intensive care unit and was put on life support.

Dr Robert Shawcross, an intensive care consultant at the hospital, said Mr Crabtree was in a bad way and could not breath independently.

He said: "The cardiac arrest he had was one of the worst in terms of overall outcome.

"He had no electrical activity in the brain, which means his heart had stopped for a while."

The inquest heard he had suffered a significant brain injury as a result and over the next three weeks Mr Crabtree showed little sign of improvement.

The inquest heard Mr Crabtree suffered from pneumonia which may have developed as a result of a ventilator being fitted to help with his breathing.

Mr Shawcross said: "He contracted pneumonia when he was with us.

"But as far as I was concerned we thought it had gone, I don't believe he had pneumonia when he left us."

Mr Crabtree was moved off intensive care, but had to have secretion removed from his lungs to avoid infection on a regular basis.

However Dr Stephen Wilson, a consultant in general and respiratory medicine at the hospital, said he was having reoccurring episodes of pneumonia caused by the secretion in his lungs.

The inquest heard on October 31 a feeding tube had accidentally been pushed through his left lung instead of into his stomach.

A doctor incorrectly interpreted the x-ray which, was taken to make sure it had been put in the correct place.

Mr Crabtree was then fed through the tube and it began to collect inside his body.

Dr Wilson said the x-rays are usually carried out between 8am and 4pm so they can be looked at by a radiologist, however due to delays the x-ray was taken after 8pm.

Mr Crabtree died on November 1.

Alice Judd, who was matron on the ward at the time, said changes have now been made at the hospital to ensure all x-rays, even if taken out of hours, would be checked by a radiologist and not a doctor, before patients are fed.

The inquest heard pathologist Dr Deepa Jacob gave a medical cause of death of pneumonia, which was found in the lower left lung, where the feeding tube had perforated, as well as suffering a hypoxia brain injury and cardiac arrest.

While giving a narrative conclusion, Mr Taylor said: "The tube hastened his death.

"He was admitted to hospital on September 22, 2017, after a cardiac arrest resulting in a brain injury.

"He developed pneumonia and his prognosis was extremely poor.

"Prior to any prospect of what was likely to be temporary respite, it was compromised by a misplaced nasogastric tube."

After the inquest, his oldest daughter, Bethan Crabtree, said: "He was a great father of six and was a great grandad of one.

"He was a funny man and always had a smile on his face, he never had a bad word to say about anyone.

"I can't believe he has been taken from us so soon.

"He will be missed by everyone. I can't describe how lost we feel without our father around."