A woman died after two GPs failed to spot a chronic bowel condition, a medical tribunal heard yesterday.

Mary Adamson, 55, from Sunderland, looked as "white as a ghost" in the months before she died of a heart attack in May 1998, it was said.

She had re-occurring diarrhoea and constipation for more than ten years, yet her two doctors only referred her to a specialist once.

Dr Kaukutla Reddy, of Burdon, Sunderland and Dr Narayana Reddy, of Manor Park, County Durham, were jointly accused of failing to provide adequate treatment for Mrs Adamson.

The General Medical Council in Manchester heard Mrs Adamson had been an invalid since the 1980s and had other illnesses including arthritis.

The GPs, who are not related, prescribed anti-diarrhoea treatments but allegedly never saw anything more serious in her illness.

Both doctors deny serious professional misconduct. The hearing continues.