Richard Neale boasted to patient Mrs E that he wished she had been awake to see his brilliance in operating to remove an ovarian cyst, the inquiry was told.

He told her that although he had accidentally "nicked" her during the operation at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, she would be fine, it was claimed.

For Mrs E, however, the reality was all too different and she was left with urine "leakage" and had to be re-admitted for extensive further surgery before Mr Neale eventually - and belatedly, - referred her to a specialist at the South Cleveland Hospital in Middlesbrough, John Hindmarsh.

Mrs E was close to tears as she told the hearing that despite Mr Hindmarsh's specialist treatment, she still suffered great pain "when I twist my body round at all", and had been forced to retire early from her job as a draughtswoman.

Mrs E, from Northallerton, said that Mr Neale performed a laparatomy on her at the Friarage Hospital on July 31, 1991, to remove an ovarian cyst.

She had to be re-admitted on August 29, 1991, because of her increasing pain and, despite being discharged again, had to be re-admitted for extensive surgery.

Mrs E said it was more than two months later - October 18, 1991 - that she was finally referred to Mr Hindmarsh.