An inquest was told here by a police officer who had responded to a call made by a hospital patient to 999 that he saw the hospital staff was ignoring the patient's request for water.

According to PC Matthew Oommen, who visited Kane Gorny after the emergency call at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, a call was made for water twice by the patient but no one was seen paying any heed to the request of the patient.

The youngster was just 22 and following a hip operation he had lost about a third of his body fluid.

He had to call up 999 for a drink as he needed vital medication to help his body retain fluid.

Nurse told the officers who arrived at Kane Gorny's bedside that he was in a confused state and they were sent back.

A few hours later the keen footballer and runner from Balham died and the reason cited for his death was dehydration.

He said, "Kane Gorny had stuck out his tongue and asked the nurse that does this look like a dry mouth, before asking the nurses for a drink."

He told Westminsters' Coroners Court, "Kane shouted to the nursing staff that can I have some water? There was no water by his bedside and I asked him again to explain why he had called police."

To this he said that no one gave him water despite him asking for it time and again.