A RETIRED surgeon said to have “the best pair of hands in England” has died.

Roger Kirby, 69, worked in Hartlepool from 1974 until his retirement in 2005.

He grew up in the town and, after graduating from Durham University and Newcastle Medical School, worked as a general surgeon at the then Hartlepool General Hospital, now known as the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Although he was trained as a general and vascular surgeon, Mr Kirby developed an interest in colorectal and breast surgery.

During his long service in Hartlepool he operated on thousands of adult and paediatric patients.

Former colleague Professor Greg McLatchie said: “Roger Kirby was a quite outstanding surgeon.

“I would say he was the equivalent of anyone in the country.

“It was said that he had the best pair of hands in England.”

Prof McLatchie, who often worked with Mr Kirby, said in 1992 they carried out one of the first operations to remove the gall bladder using keyhole surgery techniques.

“Roger also pioneered reconstructive surgery for people with ulceritive colitis,” he said.

The two surgeons also performed operations to remove the contents of the pelvis in patients with advanced pelvic cancer, a difficult procedure that is now only done in specialist units.

The men also carried out more than 100 operations on young babies suffering from a condition called infantile pyloric stenosis.

“It involves going into the stomach. It is quite risky but we didn’t lose a single patient,”

said Prof McLatchie.

Away from his work Mr Kirby was a keen sportsman and hill walker, playing golf and tennis regularly.

When he was younger, he also enjoyed riding his 500cc motorbike.

Mr Kirby died peacefully at his home in Elm Grove, Hartlepool, on Wednesday. He had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.

He is survived by his widow, Marie, two sons, Richard and Ian, daughter Joanna, daughter- in-law Donna and two grandchildren, Rebecca and Alice.

Mr Kirby’s funeral will be held at Stranton Grange Crematorium, Hartlepool, on Friday, at noon.

The family have requested that donations in lieu of flowers are made to the British Lung Foundation.