A HEALTH trust is to investigate the case of a woman who died of pneumonia days after she had collapsed in hospital while visiting her sick husband.

Mary Vine, 41, had been comforting her husband Richard at his bedside at Darlington Memorial Hospital when she suddenly fell to the floor.

Doctors told the couple, from Binchestre Croft, School Aycliffe, she had suffered an anxiety attack and sent her home.

But four days later, Mrs Vine died of bilateral pneumonia - an aggressive infection of both lungs.

Mr Vine, 38, who was himself being treated in hospital for pneumonia, believes doctors should have carried out more checks on his wife and is calling on hospital officials for answers.

Last night, he paid tribute to his wife, who he said was an inspiration to him and their 14-year-old daughter Hannah.

"She was very thoughtful and generous. She always put other people first," he said.

Mrs Vine had been visiting her husband four days after he was admitted to Darlington's High Dependency Unit critically ill with pneumonia, when she collapsed and was unable to speak properly.

Mrs Vine was rushed to the hospital's Accident and Emergency department and was told an hour later that she had suffered an anxiety attack.

"I'm surprised they didn't do a chest x-ray or any further checks, knowing that I had pneumonia," said Mr Vine. "I now think this was a sign my wife was also infected."

Days later, on Friday, April 30, she was nursing her husband at home when she began to feel unwell.

That evening Mr Vine called 999 and she was rushed into Darlington's intensive care unit.

"The pneumonia had just filled her lungs and doctors had to keep restarting her heart," he said.

"It was a terrible sight. I told her I loved her and that everything would be alright, but it wasn't.

"She died at 3am on the Saturday. I couldn't believe it. I kept thinking she was going to start breathing again. It was like a dream."

The coroner recorded a verdict of death caused by pneumonia and the day after her funeral, on Wednesday, May 12, Mr Vine fell ill with secondary pneumonia. He is now at home recovering.

A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We are willing to look into the case and investigate Mr Vine's concerns if he wishes to speak to us about it."