AN investigation has been launched to find out why a Cotswold pub worker collapsed and died only hours after he had been discharged from a hospital casualty department.

Gloucestershire coroner Katie Skerrett heard today that Andrew Franzosi, 52, of The Queens Head, The Square, Stow on the Wold, died on November 9 last year at lunchtime - having been discharged from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital the previous evening.

The coroner was told Mr Franzosi went to the accident and emergency department on the afternoon of 8th Nov feeling hot and sweaty with central chest pains and complaining of flu like symptoms. He was discharged three hours later at 6.35pm

Coroner's officer Terry Onions said: "The following day at lunchtime he complained of feeling unwell to a friend. He was suffering shortness of breath.

"Paramedics were called and he was unresponsive but breathing when they arrived. He went into cardiac arrest when CPR was commenced. After 45 minutes a doctor pronounced life extinct."

Mr Onions said that Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has decided recently to carry out a full Serious Incident Review "to establish whether Mr Franzosi should have been discharged as opposed to receiving life saving treatment."

A post mortem examination conducted yesterday (Feb 13) had found Mr Franzosi's cause of death to be cardiac failure due to necrotising aortic valve endocarditis, secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, added Mr Onions.

Mr Franzosi's body had been formally identifed by brother Enrico Franzosi, he said.

The coroner formally opened the inquest and adjourned it till 26th June.