A retired pastry chef died after doctors at two hospitals failed to diagnose his broken spine, an inquest has heard.

Neville Caplan, of Prestwich, Lancs, could have been saved by surgery if his injuries, suffered in a minor fall, had been spotted earlier, coroner Nigel Meadows said.

The 70-year-old died three weeks after the accident at his son's home on November 11, 2004.

When the fracture was finally spotted on December 1 by doctors at Wythenshawe and North Manchester hospitals, he was too ill for surgery and died three days later.