Doctors have been accused of letting a woman die after wrongly concluding she had terminal cancer . Medics told the family of Margaret Hesketh that there was little they could do for the 70-year-old because she was riddled with tumours , her children will claim at an inquest this week . The family claim she was then put on a discredited Liverpool Care Pathway-style treatment for the dying – having fluid and nutrition drips removed six days before she passed away . Medics told the family of Margaret Hesketh there was little they could do for the 70-year-old because she was riddled with tumours . But they claim a post-mortem found no sign of cancer in the grandmother-of-six , and that she died of pneumonia while malnourished . Daughter Karen Masters , 45 , said : ‘ I want a criminal investigation . I want somebody to tell me why a 70-year-old died in this way. ’ Mrs Hesketh went in to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan on October 28 last year with an infected bed sore and suspected pneumonia . Her medical notes reported that the former factory worker was in ‘ poor general health ’ : she was a smoker who suffered from lung disease and had a heart attack 12 years ago . Doctors ruled out surgery to remove pressure sores because they feared she would not survive the operation . About ten days after she was admitted a consultant summoned the family to tell them a scan had revealed cancer . A Macmillan nurse allegedly told the family Mrs Hesketh probably had less than three months to live . Mrs Hesketh went in to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan , above , on October 28 last year with an infected bed sore and suspected pneumonia . On November 19 , the family say they noticed that Mrs Hesketh ’ s feeding tubes had been removed and asked for them to be put back . But , they claim , they were told it would cause unnecessary distress . She died six days later . Mrs Masters said : ‘ The doctors have destroyed us . We have had to sit there and watch her die , not knowing that she didn ’ t actually have terminal cancer. ’ Hospitals were instructed to phase out the Liverpool Care Pathway in 2013 after a review uncovered ‘ heartbreaking ’ cases in which patients suffered days of dehydration before their deaths . The hospital said : ‘ Due to patient confidentiality , we are unable to give any more details but more information will emerge at the public inquest where a more balanced view of events will emerge . ‘ We can confirm that since July 2014 , Wrightington , Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust decided to disregard the Liverpool Care Pathway with regard to patients . ’
Medics told the family of Wigan she was riddled with tumours . Relatives say she was then put on discredited treatment for the dying . Had fluid and nutrition drips removed six days before she passed away . Family say post-mortem exam found no sign of cancer in the grandmother .