A Torbay Hospital doctor sent the woman home

Vanessa McMahon, 40, died after Torbay Hospital staff failed to spot streptococcal necrotising fasciitis.

Dr Syed Ali, who discharged Ms McMahon, is rumoured to have returned home to the Indian sub-continent, South Devon Coroner's Court in Torquay heard.

Attempts to contact him had failed, the court was told.

Miss McMahon, from Totnes, Devon, suddenly became ill last April.

She was admitted to the casualty department of Torbay Hospital with diarrhoea, vomiting and severe leg pains but was sent home by Dr Ali.

No condition signs

Just a few hours later she was readmitted, this time to intensive care, but by then it was too late.

None of the doctors who saw her in her last 24 hours realised she had necrotising fasciitis, or the flesh-eating bug, the hearing was told.

An expert in the rare disease told the inquest that Dr Ali's failure to refer the patient to a senior doctor was a "gross error".

Dr Marina Morgan, a consultant microbiologist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, said it "would have been prudent" to ask a second opinion and to keep her in overnight.

She added: "I am deeply saddened by this tragic case.

"The late diagnosis did not surprise me, although the initial clinical diagnosis of this clearly sick patient leaves much to be desired."

A consultant surgeon at Torbay, Veronica Convey, told the inquest on Thursday that she had later learned Dr Ali was distracted from his work because his own newborn baby was seriously ill.

She said if she had known this she would have advised him to stay at home.

She said Dr Ali went on sick leave on the day of Ms McMahon's death and did not return to the hospital.

The inquest continues.