The parents of Tony Clowes have called on the Crown Prosecution Service to act after a five-day inquest into his tragic death while under anaesthetic two years ago at Broomfield Hospital.

George and Carole Clowes, from Dagenham, stood on the steps of Shire Hall, Chelmsford, yesterday afternoon after jurors returned a verdict that system neglect contributed to his accidental death.

They said they were "appalled and angry" at losing their nine year old son, saying senior hospital staff and management had failed to observe guidelines and safety notices.

Tony died on July 18, 2000, at the hospital's world renowned St Andrews plastic surgery unit, after being given a general anaesthetic for a minor operation on one of his fingers he trapped in a bicycle chain the previous day.

Jurors heard that medical staff battled to save Tony's life because breathing apparatus had become blocked by a tiny plastic cap from another piece of surgical equipment.

The blocked angle-piece tubing starved Tony of oxygen after he was put to sleep and the cap was not discovered until nearly an hour after he entered the anaesthetic room.

After the inquest Mr Clowes read a prepared statement: "We are satisfied that the full facts of the events that led to our son's death have been fully investigated before the coroner.

"We are appalled and angry, however, that his death was due to a failure on the part of senior members of staff and management of the hospital to observe clear guidelines and safety notices that were intended to protect patients.

"Those failures which amounted to neglect resulted in the death of our son, whose life we entrusted into the hands of the professionals who failed in their duty towards him.

"In the light of the evidence we have heard at the inquest we hope that the Crown Prosecution Service will reconsider their decision and bring proceedings against those involved.

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Published Tuesday, May 20, 2003

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