DEVASTATED relatives of a 23-year-old man who died just three months after being diagnosed with cancer say their questions about his treatment remain unanswered.

Darren Elliott, of Riverside Drive, Melksham, died at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, on November 2 after being diagnosed with rare naso-pharyngeal cancer, in August. The condition, which caused a huge tumour in his neck, is usually associated with older men from China and Hong Kong and is extremely rare in someone of Mr Elliott's age and ethnic background.

An inquest held in Flax Bourton, Somerset, on Tuesday found his condition had been improving but he deteriorated and died after a catastrophic reaction to his chemotherapy.

His sister Stephanie Daniels, 31, of Speedwell Close, told the Wiltshire Times: "I don't feel like we got answers. I learned more about what he went through which just makes things worse and very upsetting.

"It's like he's died all over again, we have been left angry, bitter and upset. I'm going to keep finding out every fact I can about his cancer. "I'm going to keep ringing around and asking questions. I'll do what I can but we don't have any money to fund anything."

Miss Daniels said the family were unable to ask all the questions they wanted at the inquest because they could not afford a solicitor to represent them. "We were told the inquest wasn't about blame but Darren found the lump in March and was finally seen in May but nothing was diagnosed until August but we didn't have any representation to argue our point," said Miss Daniels.

"We want to move on but I also want to challenge the GP and we need to know why there was such a late diagnosis. "It is a question of ifs. If it had been spotted sooner maybe he would have had more of a chance. We'll never know."

Miss Daniels said she asked at the inquest about the dosage of chemo Mr Elliott was receiving and why her brother's medication bag appeared to be bigger than others in the ward. She was told dosages were checked in a separate department before being given to patients.

The court heard in the weeks before he died Mr Elliott's tumour was reducing but he was suffering from an adverse reaction to the chemotherapy and had developed sores on his mouth and breathing difficulties. He was taken into intensive care in late October when his condition deteriorated further.

His white blood cell and platelet levels fell to dangerous levels. On November 2 he suffered a sudden deterioration and despite an hour-long battle to resuscitate him, he died.

RUH acting director of nursing Carol de Halle said: "On behalf of the Royal United Hospital, I would like to convey my very deepest sympathies to Darren's family. "Darren's death resulted from an extremely rare and unpredictable reaction to his chemotherapy treatment. Hospital staff did all they could to support him through this; those involved personally in his treatment and care were shocked and saddened by his death."

Mr Elliott was a keen Arsenal fan and used to play with the under 15s football team in Shaw and Whitley.

Verdict: Natural causes