A DIABETIC Burnley man died the day after an ambulance failed to collect him for dialysis treatment, an inquest heard.

But East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor ruled the mix-up had not contributed to his death.

Edgar Bailey, 75, was admitted to Burnley General Hospital in August last year suffering from a hardening of the arteries in his legs.

Mr Bailey, of James Street, had a history of kidney problems and was undergoing dialysis three times a week because of diabetes. Dr Haythen Al-Khaffaf, consultant vascular surgeon at Burnley General Hospital told the inquest at Burnley Magistrates yesterday that Mr Bailey's condition deteriorated after having his second right toe amputated.

He had his third toe amputated before having his leg amputated below the knee on September 23.

The next day Mr Bailey was due to attend dialysis treatment in Preston. An ambulance was booked to transport him there but did not arrive.

A request was made on that day to Lancashire Ambulance Service's patient transport service for a paramedic ambulance.

The questionnaire needed to asses the request from the patient transport service to the accident and emergency sector of the service was lost. It was still not known where this is.

That morning Mr Bailey had dangerous levels of potassium in his body which was slightly reduced after treatment. At 5.40 the following morning he suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Pathologist Dr W D Salman said the primary cause of death was bronchial pneumonia with kidney failure and heart disease. He said dialysis would have helped his kidneys but the levels of potassium could have caused death.

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, Mr Taylor said to Mr Bailey's wife, Mary: "There has been a mistake made by the ambulance service. But after hearing the evidence I have no alternative reach a verdict that your husband died of natural causes."