A FAMILY today demanded answers over the case of a pensioner who died in hospital five months after accidentally swallowing a tablet of false teeth cleaner.

Doctors revealed they had never heard of a case like the one of Kenneth Smith, 78, of Reedyford Road, Nelson, who died in Hope Hospital, Salford, on February 25.

And the inquest into his death was told they had only found out about two other similar cases anywhere in the world.

The inquest was told how Mr Smith accidentally took a tablet of over-the-counter false teeth cleaner Steriden which had corrosive properties, after a night out in October, 2002.

His daughter Christine Shaw, 42, of Regent Street, Nelson, said her father had been "living life as normal" until he was taken into hospital on New Year's Eve -- three months after taking the tablet.

She told the inquest: "We are concerned about the treatment at Burnley General Hospital and are not happy with the way he was looked after.

"I got a phone call at around 1.30am from my mum saying he had taken a tablet. I rang casualty and they told me to give him plenty of fluids and ring NHS Direct. I went round and he was fine apart from a bit of a sore throat.

"He was fine until New Year's Eve. We decided to take him to hospital where they didn't know what was wrong with him. We mentioned the tablet later but they didn't see the connection. They sent him to see a speech and throat therapist because he had forgotten how to eat."

Today, Mr Smith's widow, Marian, 75, said: "He came in from the pub and took his teeth out to soak in a glass with the Steriden tablet and then by accident he drank it.

"In my opinion he should have been taken to Hope Hospital much sooner. He was in Burnley General for 10 weeks, for much of that time he couldn't eat.

"We knew he needed specialist treatment but yet they kept telling us they were going to move him, but it was left until he got to the point where he just wasn't fit to be moved."

After the inquest, daughter Jennifer Simpson, 45, of Foxcroft Grove, Burnley, added: "We want to know why it took from October to New Year's Eve to develop as he did, when he was eating and drinking as normal until then.

"I said to my mum the day before he was going to be transferred to Hope Hospital that I didn't think he was going to make it. If I can see that then surely medical staff can."

Charlie Grimley, Consultant Physician at Burnley General said he and other colleagues had never seen a case like it.

He said the corrosive tablet, which contains Sodium Perborate would have damaged the throat "quite considerably."

According to doctors, the scar tissue was forming around the oesophagus causing it to shrink, meaning in the end he was not able to eat.

He contracted various infections while in hospital which eventually led to him suffering chronic pneumonia.

He added: "On January 13, it was the first time the issue of the Steriline tablet was raised. I referred him for a gastronomy to maintain his nutrition so he could be fed through his stomach.

"On January 31 we found at the top end of the gullet there was a pin-sized hole. We ended up sending him to Hope Hospital to a radiologist who was more experienced. On the day of transfer he was still OK to go to Hope Hospital, although he was a little bit chesty. By the time he did reach there in the afternoon his condition had deteriorated and he died within two hours of transfer.

"We didn't suspect his condition was that serious at that stage."

Dr Grimley said: "I have seen this before with a tumour but I have never seen this before. This is very, very, very rare. We have only found two cases reported in the world of this happening before."

Richard Taylor, Acting East Lancashire Coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: "Relatives are always concerned about how has somebody has gone down hill so quickly when he seemed all right. The tablet would have taken the same effect as it would have if he was at home."