THE daughter of the man who invented Guinness’ Easy Pour system has questioned the management of her father’s care at Hereford County Hospital before he died.

Michael Ash from Painscastle, near Hay-on-Wye, passed away on April 30 at Hereford County Hospital following bowel surgery 18 days earlier.

The 88-year-old developed sepsis and pneumonia and as a result of the surgery, a leak developed.

Mr Ash was a maths genius and in the 1950s pioneered the process of adding nitrogen to Guinness, which enabled the stout to be easily sold on draught in pubs and bars across the world.

At an inquest at Herefordshire Coroner’s Court his daughter, Lucy Ash, said her father was a very active man who still had a lot to give.

The inquest heard in 2014 Mr Ash had surgery for bowel cancer, which resulted in a leak.

On April 12, 2016 Mr Ash opted for a reversal of that procedure. During the operation dense adhesions were discovered and there was injury to another part of the colon, which was repaired.

Miss Ash, who lives in London, said she had a call from Miss Cheek, who was a surgeon on duty, on April 14 to say she thought Mr Ash had developed a leak and might need emergency surgery.

The hospital did not call her about any further concerns but when she next saw him on April 17 he “looked desperately ill”.

Two days later she received a call from surgeon Brendan McIlroy who said Mr Ash had developed a leak and it was not looking good – further surgery was not an option.

Miss Ash sought a second opinion and Miss Cheek said the bowel could heal itself.

Miss Ash said her father appeared to get better before he suddenly went downhill and died on April 30.

She said: “I just feel I had to be proactive myself and feel the hospital didn’t manage it that well. It’s difficult with people who are ill, you don’t necessarily know what is going to happen next, but nobody was taking charge and dealing with it.”

Mr McIlroy carried out both procedures in 2014 and 2016 and said he explained there was a very high risk involved and that Mr Ash understood this.

Coroner Mark Bricknell said it seemed likely Miss Ash received confused messages but he said Mr McIlroy said once the leak was acknowledged on the 19th Mr Ash’s demise was inevitable.

He recorded that Mr Ash died from natural causes – sepsis, pneumonia and an anastomotic leak.