A FIT 78-year-old man died when his bowel was perforated during an operation and he failed to recover from it, an inquest heard.

Bruce Geoffrey Yelland, a retired chartered quantity surveyor, died on January 31 after suffering multiple organ failure and sepsis.

Mr Yelland, 78, from Robin Close, Great Kingshill, went for an elective key hole operation to remove his gall bladder on October 10 last year after discovering he had gall stones.

But it had to be aborted and open surgery undertaken instead.

Amersham Coroner's Court was told that during the keyhole operation Mr Yelland suffered a perforated bowel.

On October 12 his condition worsened and he was moved to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in November.

Mr Yelland had two further operations but died in January this year.

A verdict of misadventure was recorded on Wednesday.

Richard Hulett, coroner for Buckinghamshire, said: "His death was as a result of having failed to recover from the consequences of small bowel perforation sustained during elective cholecystectomy on October 10.

"There was no way back from the initial perforation and he suffered from three months of misery which resulted in his death. He did not die because of natural causes."

Patricia Yelland, his wife and a retired school secretary, said: "He was a very fit man and he was always going on rambles and showed his grandchildren how to do press-ups.

"He had abdominal surgery about 20 years ago but he was extremely fit. He regularly went for walks."