A DRUGS baron who died of a heart attack in prison might have received vital medical attention had more checks been made on his cell, his widow claimed yesterday.

John McPartland, 51, of Whinney Hill, Middlesbrough, was given a 12-year sentence in March 1998 after he was caught with heroin worth £375,000.

The Category A prisoner was found on the floor of his single cell in the early hours, at the maximum security Frankland Prison, on the outskirts of Durham City

The inquest heard that McPartland was considered fit for his age, exercised regularly and had only once complained of a medical problem, an in-growing toenail, while in Frankland.

But the evening before his death he complained to prison health care officer Paul Brands of chest pains, saying he thought it might be indigestion.

Tests proved normal and the prisoner turned down an offer to stay in the medical centre overnight for observation.

Prison officers on F Wing were told of his problem and he was checked three times during the night as part of routine random security checks. The last time, at 4am, he was found dead.

Mrs McPartland questioned why there was a six-hour space between the two last checks and claimed her husband had rung his cell's emergency bell, but it was not answered.

However, prison officer Andrew Fiske said he spoke to McPartland at 8.15pm and he was feeling better.

If the bell had rung he would have had to go to the cell to cancel it.

He said when he went into the cell at 4am there were no signs of life and that he thought McPartland had been dead about an hour.

He also denied that there was "a commotion'' on the wing at about 3am.

Mrs McPartland said: "If they had checked more often, or if his bell had been answered, they might have got him to hospital.''

North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle said: "Mrs McPartland obviously has some doubts and reservations in her mind as to what actually happened on this occasion.

"I don't think there is anything I have heard that would lead to anything other than a verdict of natural causes.'