Relatives of the victims of Harold Shipman yesterday demanded that ITV bosses shelve plans to broadcast a dramatisation of the case.

They criticised the decision to screen the film before the outcome of the official Shipman inquiry as "grossly insensitive".

A number of families refused to cooperate with the programme makers and many of those who did left a private screening of the film in tears.

Shipman, from Hyde, in Greater Manchester, was jailed for life for the murder of 15 elderly female patients.

But some 500 families are awaiting the results of the inquiry to discover whether the GP may have murdered their loved ones.

Yorkshire Television has turned the story into a two-part drama called Shipman, with James Bolam in the title role.

The film is due to be screened on ITV1 on July 9 - days before the inquiry delivers its report, which is expected to include details of how many other patients he may have killed.

Ann Alexander, the solicitor representing the families of more than 200 of Shipman's victims and alleged victims, called on the ITV director of programmes, David Liddiment, to postpone screening of the programme.

Jane Ashton-Hibbert, whose grandmother, Hilda Hibbert, was among those murdered, said: "No time would be right for the screening of such a programme but the scheduling of such a film before the public inquiry's findings can only increase the burden on the families awaiting verdicts."

But the programme makers defended the film and insisted it should go ahead despite the protests.