THE family of an elderly man who died after catching a vomiting virus at a residential home have criticised the care he received.

An inquest into the death of retired builder Leslie Palliser, 82, of Topcliffe, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, heard that his family were angry at the care he was given in Sowerby House, Sowerby, near Thirsk.

Mr Palliser, of Dean Square, moved into the home after a spell in hospital following a stroke.

He caught a norovirus leading to vomiting and diarrhoea on about April 13 and was admitted to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton on April 21.

Weakened by the illness, he died from bronchial pneumonia on April 26.

Helen Truman, his daughter, told yesterday’s inquest at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court: “The family are not happy with the general standard at the care home.

“It’s quite obvious to me that he should have been in hospital and if he had been, then he may have had a chance.

“If this had been a child or an animal, it would have been splashed across the news. I feel that as he was an old man, he has been left.”

Linda Stephenson, manager of Sowerby House, in Front Street, said: “The staff should have monitored him more closely as I depend on them and this will never happen again.”

Deputy coroner John Broadbridge recorded a verdict of death by natural causes aggravated by neglect.

He said: “We’ll never know if going to hospital on April 14 would have made any difference, but he did deteriorate after that.

“I find there was a failure to give adequate fluids to him or to procure advice in a timely manner from a doctor.

“All of this made a significant contribution to his death.”

The care home is run by Southern Cross. A spokesman for the company said last night: “We’re very sorry that the care provided to Mr Palliser was not up to our usual high standards. Our thoughts are with his family.

“We have also taken steps to ensure that the care provided to every resident within the home is of the highest standard.”