A father-of-two died of multi-organ failure days after undergoing surgery doctors hoped would save his life.

Colin Ring had been suffering from rectal bleeding and was admitted to Maidstone Hospital to treat what turned out to be a cancerous mass.

The 50-year-old delivery driver had a history of depression and alcohol misuse, during which he would sometimes drink a bottle of vodka a day, an inquest at the Archbishop's Palace was told.

Mr Ring, of Gravel Pit Lane, Marden, underwent chemoradiotherapy for several months to shrink the tumour enough for a potentially life-saving operation to take place, which he had on April 9.

The surgery was completed without any complications, other than a slight increase in the amount of bleeding expected, which was controlled, the inquest heard.

He was moved to the high dependency ward in the subsequent days and then the Peale Ward as he seemed to be progressing well.

In the early hours of April 14, however, he became agitated, refused to take medication, and security was needed to restrain him.

His behaviour could have been due to his withdrawal from alcohol, the inquest was told.

He later went into cardiac arrest and while circulation returned after CPR was given, his brain stem stopped functioning and he was pronounced dead the following morning.

Mr Ring, who had appeared in court last year after admitting communicating false information in the form of a bomb hoax at a mental health unit, was described by his partner and children as "a good family man who loved his fishing and his Formula One".

His family added they had fond memories of him teaching his two children to play football, and going on trips together to Pontins holiday parks.

Assistant coroner Katrina Hepburn recorded a narrative verdict and said: "This has been a very tricky case, and it's the pathologist's view there are two factors which have led to the cardiac arrest.

"The background of alcohol misuse led to the fatty liver disease and the pre-existing disposition to cardiac arrest, but we have the additional factor of surgery four days before he died.

"I cannot discount this as being irrelevant, although I make no finding that the surgery was incorrect.

"He died on April 14 due to multi-organ failure arising out of fatty liver disease caused by alcohol misuse.

"His death was, however, contributed to by the need for major abdominal and pelvic surgery which was necessary for treatment of rectal carcinoma."

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