Ewloe man, 27, dies after spraining ankle walking dog

A 27-year-old man died after spraining his ankle on a walk with his dog.

Callum Jones, who weighed 26 stone (165kg), was rushed to the Countess of Chester Hospital on 15 October last year and died three days later.

Mr Jones died from a blood clot on his lung due to immobility caused when he sprained his ligaments on 3 October, an inquest in Ruthin heard on Tuesday.

His mother Kim said she thought his life could have been saved had he had a face-to-face consultation with his GP.

Four days before his death, Mr Jones, from Ewloe, Flintshire, spoke to Dr Chris Murphy about a breathing problem, the inquest was told.

But he did not mention he had been wearing a protective boot for almost two weeks since the fall.

Dr Murphy told senior coroner John Gittins that had he been aware of the injury and Callum's limited mobility, he would have considered the risk of a blood clot.

In a statement read at the hearing, Mrs Jones said her son and other family members were walking their dogs in Loggerheads Country Park in Denbighshire on 3 October.

He lost his balance when one of the dogs pulled him as he crossed a slippery bridge.

Mr Jones, a car salesroom deputy manager, first attended Holywell Cottage Hospital before he was referred to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital, where it was thought he had fractured his ankle.

He was given a supportive boot and told to return to the fracture clinic on 11 October, where it was found to be a sprain and not a fracture.

Dr Asif Iqbal told the court he had not prescribed blood-thinning medication as Mr Jones was deemed low risk despite his size and reduced mobility.

Dr Murphy, of Shotton Lane Surgery in Deeside, Flintshire, said Mr Jones called on 11 October to report breathing difficulties and a pain in his chest and shoulder, but did not mention his ankle injury.

He diagnosed pleurisy and prescribed an inhaler, replacing an old one he had for asthma.

Dr Murphy said he had not received Mr Jones' discharge letter from Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Dr Iqbal told the court it normally took about three weeks for them to be written and sent to GPs.

Recording a conclusion of accidental death, coroner Mr Gittins said the fall was the catalyst for the tragic consequences.

Mr Gittins said he was concerned about the delay in sending discharge letters, but before deciding whether to issue a prevention of future deaths report to Betsi Cadwaladr health board, he would check the details of the current timeframe for doing this.

After the hearing, Mrs Jones said: "I believe that Callum could have been saved if he had been able to see Dr Murphy face-to-face.

"I know that Covid was the reason, but one can't keep blaming Covid for everything."