An elderly heart patient who threatened a sit-in at an Oxford hospital in protest at delays in surgery is now recovering after finally having his opgoing under the surgeon's knife.

Douglas Peverill threatened a sit-in at the prestigious Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital hospital after having to wait for life-saving open heart surgery.

He had been on the hospital's cardiothoracic ward since a heart attack on August 25 but was not operated on until yesterday.

The 70-year-old, of Duxford Close, Bicester, was considered a high risk case because he had a heart bypass 13 years ago and it would be a re-operation.

A hospital spokesman said today: "He had the heart bypass at around midday yesterday and is in a stable condition."

Mr Peverill was today too ill to speak publicly but hospital staff said he was conscious following the operation.

His wife was keeping a vigil by his bedside.

He and about four or five patients threatened a sit in at the hospital last Friday but were talked out of it with a promise of discussions with senior managers.

But Mr Peverill pledged if the surgery did not happen this week, the sit-in could be back on. The threats came three months after the Oxford Mail revealed patients in the city, including those on cardiac surgery lists, were dying before reaching the operating tables.

Dozens of life-saving operations had been cancelled because of a nursing and beds crisis.

Mr Peverill said last week: "If I don't get the operation soon I am going to be in trouble."

Mrs Gilli Appleby (correct), Trust cardiac services manager, confirmed Mr Peverill was a high risk patient.

But she said it had been important he was operated on at the right time by the right surgeon and that the Trust had to deal with the most serious cases first.

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