THE family of a Bournemouth man who went into hospital after suffering a mini-stroke is demanding answers after he contracted the norovirus, then died.

Douglas Webber's distraught family says it took repeated questions before the hospital would admit he could have had the vomiting virus, which is transmitted through food and water, infected people and touched surfaces.

Mr Webber's family got the words "suspected Norwalk virus" listed as one of the causes on his death certificate, after he passed away at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on March 9, aged 81.

Daughter Teresa Webber said: "We are cremating our dad on Thursday. He should have been home a week already now."

She added: "If he had gone in there with a stroke and died of that, that would have been bad enough.

"But he wanted to come home and start up normal life again."

Teresa and her sister Gina Willow believe their father, who lived in Queen's Park, caught the bug after the hospital permitted another patient to be transferred on to the same ward, while suffering the virus.

Shortly afterwards Mr Webber,who was active in retirement, started to complain of feeling unwell.

His health went rapidly downhill despite him being moved to an isolation bay, where visitors had to wear gloves and aprons.

Mr Webber then had a heart attack and his family was called to the hospital, where he died just over an hour later.

Teresa said: "We feel that if we don't bring it to somebody's attention the next person who is vulnerable to infection might end up the same way. We did not want to be pushed away and it swept under the carpet as another statistic."

A spokesperson for Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust said: "The Foundation Trust is sorry that Mr Webber's family do not feel that the strict and high standards of hygiene and cleanliness for our hospitals extended to Ward 28 during the treatment of Mr Webber.

"Suspected Norovirus was one of five conditions contributing to the death of Mr Douglas Webber.

"Norovirus did not directly lead to the cause of Mr Webber's death but we do acknowledge that it would have made him more uncomfortable.

"The trust has strict policies on the transfer and non transfer of patients. The patient transferred to Ward 28 during Mr Webber's stay did not have Norovirus symptoms at the time of transfer and was moved within strict guidelines.

"During Mr Webber's stay on Ward 28 a bathroom was cordoned off following a patient who was unwell until a thorough clean with bleaching agents had taken place.

Patients were made aware not to use this area until cleaning had been completed. Senior ward staff have had a very good rapport with Mr Webber's family whose comments have been taken on board."