The family of Devizes dad Neil Bagley are disappointed that this week’s inquest into his death left so many questions unanswered.

Mr Bagley, 53, died at the Bristol Royal Infirmary on July 30 last year after what should have been routine surgery to insert a heart pacemaker.

He was born with a hole in his heart and had suffered cardiac problems ever since.

He died days after the operation and a post mortem examination found a blood clot inside him that was nearly a kilogram in weight.

Mr Bagley’s family hoped the inquest at Flax Bourton Village Hall in Somerset on Monday would provide them with some answers and closure but they came away as puzzled as when they arrived.

Mr Bagley’s 23-year-old daughter, Sara, who lives at the family home in the Pans Lane area of Devizes, said: “The coroner brought in a narrative verdict that basically said he died of a haemothorax caused by the insertion of the pacemaker wires.

“We are not out to blame anybody but we don’t want this to happen to anyone else.

“While he was recovering he had low blood pressure and was passing very little water, which would tell me that something serious was happening inside.

“His deterioration should have rung alarm bells.

“They believed it was a chest infection but a chest tap was not done.

“The doctors who gave evidence at the inquest said they were staggered by the post mortem report.

“We couldn’t believe it when dad died. The surgery had been a success.

“Our mum died in April last year after a very long illness. Dad had nursed her himself and he was in the process of getting himself back into work.”

Liverpool-born Mr Bagley was a Ministry of Defence civil servant and the family travelled around a lot, eventually settling in Devizes.

His funeral took place at West Wiltshire Crematorium in August last year.

Miss Bagley said: “The verdict tells us nothing.

“We need some acknowledgement that things went wrong and there are questions that still need answering.”