THE open verdict on the death of Craig Archer was the cruellest result for his family.

They now know what killed him, an air bubble in his blood, but they may never know how it happened. The day they expected to bring answers has left them with more questions.

Their anger and anguish is all the greater because that day was a scandalously long time coming. The Archer family had been made to wait nearly three years for the inquest.

Delays were blamed on difficulties in bringing together key witnesses, on finding premises, on awaiting medical reports. This time was said to be necessary to ensure a comprehensive examination of Craig's death. In the event, the inquest fell some way short of that.

It lasted six hours. But if it had lasted 60, the verdict would have been the same. With a crucial piece of evidence lost - the three-way tap fitted into Craig's feeding tube - there could be no satisfactory outcome.

We are surprised that the coroner did not call on a senior hospital representative to personally account for what went wrong. Serious questions about hospital procedure have been left unasked.

Consequently, suspicion remains. And we are left to wonder whether such a tragic death could happen again.

Craig's distraught family are now considering taking legal action against York NHS Trust. No one would blame them. They are not after compensation, but answers.

Craig Archer went into hospital for a standard medical procedure and never came home. He was 21.

His family have a right to know the truth about his death.On the face of ut, the long-awaited inquest has failed them.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, March 17, 2004