Widower George Clegg is suing health bosses for more than £100,000 after an operation failed to wipe out his wife's breast cancer.

Joan Clegg, 46, of Broughton Road, Banbury, died in June 1996 after a cancer in her right breast spread to her liver.

In November 1990, she had undergone an apparently successful operation at the Horton Hospital, in Banbury, to remove a lump from her right breast.

She felt fine for more than three years, but in February 1994 began to complain about pains in her right armpit.

Tests revealed a cancer related to the original illness and Mrs Clegg underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She died after the cancer spread to her liver. Mr Clegg has issued a writ in the High Court against Oxfordshire Health Authority and the Horton Hospital Trust, claiming doctors failed to treat his wife properly at the time of the original operation.

He said they should have carried out tests to see whether the cancer had spread to the armpit, or anywhere else on his wife's body, and given her radiotherapy at the time.

The writ said: "Proper treatment at the time would probably have led to a cure."

Mr Clegg is claiming damages "exceeding £100,000" for funeral expenses, loss of wages and loss of dependency.

Mrs Clegg had a £16,000-a-year job with the Contributions Agency at the time of her death.

The health authority declined to comment.

Story date: Tuesday 11 May

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