COLIN Hendry is preparing to sue following the operation which left his wife battling for her life.

The former Blackburn Rovers star revealed the move as the boss of the private hospital at the centre of the case spoke for the first time about the matter. And she claimed that Dr Gustaf Aniansson, who had performed the liposuction procedure on Denise Hendry, had been cleared of any wrong doing by the General Medical Council.

A spokesman for the GMC today said it could not comment on any ongoing investigations until they were referred to a public hearing. However she said Dr Aniansson had not been suspended, nor were there any restrictions placed on his practise.

The ex- Scotland captain today confirmed that Dr Aniansson performed the liposuction operation on mother-of-four Denise at the Broughton Park Private Hospital, in Preston, April, and he was now taking legal advice about hat happened.

Days later she was transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital with septicaemia where she spent more than a month in a coma on a life support machine on the intensive care unit.

Denise, 35, is still being cared for at the hospital where she is said to be improving, yet still poorly. She is out of her coma and off the life support machine.

A letter from the Royal Preston Hospital is reported to have been sent to the General Medical Council raising concerns about the operation.

Neither the GMC nor the Royal Preston Hospital would comment on the matter today, although Colin said, if it was true, he would back the move.

Colin, who formerly lived in Ribchester Road but now lives in a £1m home in Lytham St Annes, said: "I fully support the letter reportedly sent to the GMC by the Royal Preston Hospital and have instructed a legal team to advise us on possible proceedings.

"This has been a devastating time for all the family but the most important thing is that Denise's health continues to improve."

Today Linda Hanson, managing director of the private hospital, revealed an internal investigation had been carried out immediately after the incident and said the hospital had been probed by the National Care Standard Commission, the government body which regulates private hospitals among other care facilities.

Mrs Hanson said: "The surgeon involved was exonerated by the GMC yesterday morning.

"Had the GMC said there was a cause for concern with that surgeon or we had thought previously there was something wrong we would have suspended him immediately but there has been no wrong doing.

"We have never been able to discuss the incident until now and we have been deeply distressed by the various reports.

"Our hearts and minds have been with the Hendrys all along. We are delighted at how Denise is progressing."

Mrs Hanson said the National Care Standard Commission had launched its own investigation into the hospital's procedures, which they had co-operated with fully.

She claimed the NCSC investigation had been completed but a spokesman for the governing body today said there were "issues" still to be resolved.

The spokesman added: "This case was brought to our attention through the press reports and we acted immediately.

"Local inspectors visited the hospital on several occasions and as far as we are concerned there are a number of issues we want to take forward with them.

"We have written to them asking them to take certain steps on a number of things and our investigations are still continuing."