Relatives of the victims of Dr Harold Shipman left in tears after watching a private screening of a drama-documentary about the killer GP.

About 50 people watched the two-hour Yorkshire TV programme at a hotel in Hyde, the Greater Manchester town where Shipman practised.

The families of Shipman's former patients have criticised the timing of the programme which is due to be aired on national television.

They fear it could clash with the release of the latest findings from an inquiry examining hundreds of deaths which may have been linked to the doctor.

But bosses at ITV say the drama is intended to contribute to the public's understanding of the inquiry's findings.

'Grossly insensitive'

One woman, who is waiting to discover whether her mother was murdered by Shipman in 1993, said: "It was very hard to watch and people were in tears. In one scene you saw a dead woman just after Shipman had made a house call.

"It showed Shipman as an evil character, a side I had not seen to him as he was my family GP. It was all quite sinister seeing it re-enacted like that."

I cannot agree with the timing of the programme

Mike Woodruff

Lawyer Ann Alexander, who represents 300 families who potentially lost loved ones to Shipman, said: "The people who saw it tonight were very angry. There was a lot of emotion in the room.

"We feel the timing of this programme, if it is shown on 9 July, is grossly insensitive."

The relatives of Shipman's victims will hold an official press conference in Manchester on Monday, after the drama has been shown to journalists.

The inquiry, which is being chaired by Dame Janet Smith, is investigating why the preliminary police inquiry found insufficient evidence to proceed against the GP.

It has examined about 800 cases since it opened in May 2001 and an in-depth report, which is expected to be published in July, will focus on 500 of these deaths.

'Worthwhile contribution'

A statement from ITV, which is due to screen the programme in 9 July, insisted the drama would "provide a valuable context to the publication of the report".

It added: "We believe it offers a worthwhile contribution to a public understanding and discussion of the inquiry's findings."

Shipman is being held at Frankland Prison, County Durham, serving 15 life sentences for killing 15 women.

But he is suspected of killing 100 more by lethal injection during his 24-year career.

'Deliberate timing'

Mike Woodruff, whose mother-in-law Irene Turner was one of the 15 people originally identified as Shipman's victims, said: "I don't think the makers of the programme have been in touch with any of the relatives - they have not been in touch with me.

"I cannot agree with the timing of the programme.

"It is getting very close to the time when the inquiry is likely to say if other patients who died were victims of Shipman and this programme will be going out at the same time.

"I think that is deliberate timing by the television company."