The family of a woman who died after an operation is to receive a compensation payout of £55,000 after it was ruled that her death had been preventable.

Kathleen Doherty, then 29, went into the Royal Preston Hospital in March 2006 to have her gall bladder taken out, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.

However, she began to bleed internally afterwards, a fact that was not noticed by hospital staff.

Ms Doherty died a few hours later and her family went on to launch a clinical negligence claim.

The coroner ruled that medics had not properly monitored Ms Doherty and said that had they been checking her, she would not have died.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has agreed to a payout of £55,000 and has apologised to the family, adding that it has addressed issues within the hospital since the death.

Ms Doherty’s mother Frances said: "All I wanted was justice for Kathleen, and to make sure this never happens to anyone else. I hope the hospital have learned from it."

According to the Telegraph, almost 500 people have been seriously disabled by the lack of care they have received in hospital since the Clinical Negligence Scheme for NHS Trusts was established 13 years ago.