THE family of an Earby man who died weeks after leaving hospital today called on doctors to follow clinical guidelines which they say could have saved him.

Colin Firth, of Brookfield Way, died on February 21, seven weeks after falling at home and hitting his head on his cooker.

Mr Firth, 79, was taken to Airedale Hospital where doctors were concerned about his blood pressure but did not scan his brain to check if the fall had caused any damage - a measure which is recommended by an influential medical group.

He was sent home five days later. But when he died it was found that a blood clot had formed on his brain following the accident.

At an inquest in Burnley, East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.

But Mr Firth's daughter Alison believes her father would still be alive if doctors had followed the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines.

They state a person should have a CT scan of their head within an hour of seeing a doctor if they are 65 years old or more and there has been some loss of consciousness or amnesia.

Mr Firth could not remember how he hit his head, only feeling dizzy and vomiting beforehand.

Miss Firth said: "We would like the guidelines to be followed. In my father's case they weren't and I would like to see in future that they are.

"It might save another old man's life. This has been very traumatic for us and I hope some good can come out of it."

During the inquest, Airedale consultant Dr J Aduke Onafowokan said professional judgment had been used by three doctors during Mr Firth's treatment. She was not aware of the details of the NICE guidelines.

She said: "There was no specific treatment for the fall. We were concerned with trying to find out the reason for it.

"The swelling on his head, although it looked dramatic, was no more than that."

Pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud said he could not tell whether the bleed, known as a subdural haematoma, had developed following the fall or immediately before Mr Firth's death.

Mr Taylor said: "This is not a straight forward case.

"We have heard a lot of evidence about whether a CT scan should have been performed on your father. This court is not to determine that.

"I record a verdict of accidental death because the initial trauma of the fall was entirely an accident.

"I believe, on balance, that led to the subdural haematoma that tragically led to his death."