A hospital yesterday apologised for a series of blunders that resulted in a patient being treated for a burnt toe having his leg amputated.

Derek Atkinson, 56, who has diabetes, burned his big toe on a hot-water bottle in 2001. He said he had seen a consultant at Bishop Auckland general hospital in Co Durham five times for treatment. After two weeks the former teacher was in so much pain that he called his GP, who diagnosed gangrene. The big toe on his left foot was removed and days later his left leg was amputated below the knee.

Mr Atkinson told the Northern Echo: "I saw the consultant five times but all he seemed to do was take swabs, give me antibiotics, bandage it and rebandage it."

A report from the independent parliamentary and health service ombudsman criticised the care Mr Atkinson received. A spokesman for the Co Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS trust said: "We have received the ombudsman's report and have written to Mr Atkinson to apologise. We have introduced new guidelines for the management of diabetic patients with foot problems in our accident and emergency departments.

"We believe that these greatly reduce the chance of a similar problem occurring."