A PATIENT given a 99per cent chance of survival before an operation to remove cancer died less than a month later, an inquest heard.

Michele Howarth, of Bevington Close, Burnley, died on June 19 last year from complications after undergoing a tracheotomy operation at Royal Blackburn Hospital, the hearing at Blackburn Town Hall was told yesterday.

Coroner Michael Singleton did not lay any blame on the hospital for her death.

And her family said they were glad the facts had come out at the inquest so they could move on. Michele, 43, a process worker, was given a strong chance of recovery from the operation in May last year, the inquest heard.

Her father, Joseph Rowan, said Michele, a former heavy smoker, had been diagnosed with cancer of the mouth in April 2006. He said: "Doctors said that she would have a 99per cent chance of making a full recovery if she stopped smoking."

Later it was noticed there had been complications.

Mr Rowan said: "We were told her condition had deteriorated and that she was having difficulty with her breathing and we were asked if we wanted to switch the ventilator machine off."

The hearing was told the family refused that request, but Michele died later that week.

Dr Mark Sissen, consultant pathologist from Blackpool Victoria Hospital, conducted a post mortem examination.

He told the inquest that the cause of death was multi-organ failure due to pneumonia and this was because of a lack of oxygen, suggesting the operation had not gone according to plan.

But Dr Anton Krige, a consultant anaesthetist who treated Michele, said that the operation had been a success.

Coroner Michael Singleton gave a narrative verdict reflecting the sequence of events.