I told my son he'd be ok... to think they could have saved him is terrible

THE devastated father of a tragic boy of 12 has described how he told his poorly son 'you'll be OK' at his hospital bedside before he slipped into unconsciousness and later died.

- JOHN SCHEERHOUT

The M.E.N. has previously revealed how crucial delays in treating a critically-ill Joel Rawlinson, who was born with a heart problems, after he collapsed and was admitted to a hospital A&E contributed to his death.

Otherwise fit and healthy, Joel was on his Playstation at home in Middleton when he collapsed on Sunday night, December 29, 2019. When he was taken to North Manchester General Hospital that night, medics concentrated on trying to find out the cause of the problems instead of recognising how poorly he was so he could be moved to a specialist children's hospital, an inquest heard.

Joel had undergone successful major surgery weeks after his birth to repair a damaged aorta, the major artery coming from the heart.

But the youngster, who recovered well and loved playing football for Middleton Lads, fell severely ill at home because of an aneurysm and later died in hospital of cardiac respiratory failure.

Area coroner Paul Appleton recorded the medical cause of death as cardiac respiratory failure due to an aneurysm.