AN 80-YEAR-OLD Cam man died of a hospital-acquired C Diff infection after he fell and broke his hip at sheltered flats, an inquest heard.

Pensioner Anthony Chambers died at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on March 7 last year - 17 days afer the fall at Draycott sheltered flats in Cam.

He had undergone surgery for a fractured hip but developed an "overwhelming" C Diff infection after contracting the superbug.

Deputy Gloucestershire coroner David Dooley ruled the death was accidental as he wouldn't have been in the hospital but for the fall.

The inquest heard he was found to have fallen at his flat on February 18.

His GP referred him to hospital with a suspected fracture and an X-ray confirmed it, the coroner heard.

Surgery was postponed while the results of tests were awaited because doctors thought he may have been suffering from TB but on February 22, tests showed that he was not suffering from tuberculosis.

The operation then went ahead sucessfully on February 28, but four days later, after he complained of abdominal pain, tests later confirmed that he was suffering from C Diff colitis and also a urinary tract infection. His condition worsened and he was certified dead on March 7.

Mr Dooley said Mr Chambers had acquired the C Diff in hospital and did not have it when he went in.

"The only reason he was in hospital was due to the fall at his home on February 18," he said, adding that he had been too weak to combat the infection because of his underlying health problems.

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.