Top Aunt Sally player Phil Butler died from a heart attack in the middle of a vital match after his triple bypass operation was cancelled twice because of bed shortages.

On one occasion he was even dressed in a theatre gown with pen marks on his chest ready for surgery when the operation was called off.

The 51-year-old collapsed and died at the Gladiator Club in Iffley Road as he was about to win a cup in the popular pub sport.

Fellow players tried to revive him, but he died before an ambulance arrived. His widow Paula, 53, of Dodgson Road, Cowley, said her husband was described by his GP as a "walking timebomb".

Unable to work because of his weak heart, Phil was originally due to have a heart bypass in May at the John Radcliffe Hospital. That operation was one of two that were cancelled as emergency cases took precedent.

Paula said: "I blame the system. Each time he would get worked up for the operation and each time they let him down. It was very stressful for him to keep having it cancelled.

"After the last cancellation, he vowed he would never go in again. He forgot about the operation and got on with his life the best he could." Phil was on the waiting list for 15 months and operations were cancelled a total of five times between May and August.

Besides the two cancellations by the hospital, one operation was shelved by Phil himself because he was ill, and another postponed so he could lose weight.

A question mark remains over the fifth scheduled operation, which was due in June. The hospital claims Phil cancelled it because of family commitments, but Paula says the hospital called it off.

Paula said she always feared the strain of going in and out of hospital would be too much for Phil. He suffered heart attacks at the ages of 47 and 49 and had to retire from his job at the city council on health grounds. He died on Friday. Paula said: "I don't blame the nurses or the surgeons - they were wonderful and very kind."

A spokesman for the John Radcliffe Hospital said: "Mr Butler was referred for cardiac surgery in June last year. Unfortunately, it proved necessary to cancel dates for surgery on two occasions because of pressure from emergencies.

"In addition, Mr Butler decided not to come into hospital on two other occasions. "Mr Butler was seen in August this year by his consultant, who agreed he needed to lose weight before the operation could be done. His surgeon did stress that, should he feel his condition was getting worse, he should contact both his GP and the hospital to arrange for the surgery to be organised.

"We are very sorry to hear of Mr Butler's death and would wish to extend our sympathy and sincere condolences to his family." *See features

Story date: Wednesday 10 November

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