A WIDOWER who received a telephone call just three days after his wife's death in hospital to ask if he wanted to claim compensation is calling for an end to the practice by law firms.

Mr Harry Ewings, of Keats Road, Greenmount, lost his wife Joyce, aged 74, earlier this month. He had been entirely satisfied with the way hospital staff had treated her for a lifelong heart complaint at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Later, Mr Ewings was astonished to receive a call from a claims company, who offered condolences and asked if he wished to pursue a claim against the hospital. Soon afterwards, there was a call from another firm asking the same question.

Both were told politely but firmly that the family were not interested.

Mr Ewings, who could not recall the names of the companies, said: "I think it's reprehensible, there's no way that we want to claim. I am 100 percent satisfied with the hospital and have already written a letter to the medical staff to tell them that," he said. "These companies aren't doing this for any altruistic motive, they're just doing it for money. When there's a death a lot of people get very het up and look for someone to blame. People may be pushed into doing something they don't really want to at a very vulnerable time."

Mr Ewings (75) described the calls as "an outrageous intrusion at a time of grief" and expressed concern that details of the death had been obtained so quickly.

His son Ken added: "It's not as if we want to feel sorry for ourselves but people need to realise that this is going on."

Compensation firm Claims Direct told the Bury Times that the practice was not one they would engage in.

A spokeswoman said: "The problem is that the industry is unregulated and open to abuse by less scrupulous organisations.

"As a reputable company we are in favour of some form of regulatory body who can lay down guidelines on what is or is not acceptable."

Manchester Registrar's Office said that no lists of the recently deceased were produced by them that firms would be able to browse. A spokesman said: "We have no idea how anyone would get to know this sort of information. "

Possible leakage of information from the hospital is now under investigation. A spokeswoman for Manchester Royal Infirmary commented: "We don't know how these firms found out but are looking into it. As far as I am aware we have never had it happen before."