POLICE are to take no further action against a drink-driver who mowed down a great-grandfather, after it was revealed his elderly victim died in hospital six months later.

Today the grieving family of 84-year-old Patrick Burke expressed their anger at the decision.

Mr Burke, who had five grandchildren and two great grandchildren, was struck by a silver Ford Granada in Southampton in March. He was walking to his local British Legion club to see if he had won a prize in the weekly raffle.

The pensioner was rushed to Southampton General Hospital. He suffered two broken legs, two broken arms, a broken collarbone and head injuries in the accident which happened in Bullar Road, Bitterne.

Driver Amritpal Toor, 25, was later banned from driving for 40 months, fined £200 and ordered to pay £55 costs after being found guilty of drink-driving.

Speaking from his home in St Catherine's Road, Bitterne Park, Southampton, Mr Toor said: "I am really, really deeply sorry for the family. I am quite shocked to hear that he has died, I understood he was recovering. All I can say is sorry."

Police closed the road for three hours following the incident, in which Mr Toor also received minor injuries.

Mr Burke spent the last six months in hospital and never walked again.

Insp Roger Price, from Eastleigh traffic police, said a re-investigation had been considered, but ruled out as Mr Burke had died from a heart attack.

The pensioner's son, Kevin, 53, from Hedge End, said: "We're not happy at all with that. My dad never came out of hospital since the accident.

"Prior to going into hospital he was a fit, healthy, active 84-year-old so he never recovered from the accident.

"While the injuries might not be attributable to, it his mental and physical health obviously deteriorated rapidly over the last six months so in our minds his death is always going to be as a result of that accident.''

Mr Burke was described as a loving family man with a wide circle of friends who will be greatly missed.

Kevin said: "He had an allotment and he liked gardening. He liked to go for a pint as well and he had a wide circle of friends.

"He was Irish and he had a lot of Irish friends in Southampton - wherever there was an Irish community he was very much into it."

The former plant fitter was also a regular at Bitterne's British Legion, where he went for a drink every lunchtime and played in the meat raffle every Friday evening.

His daughter, Maureen Dowd, 55, added: "He was fit and lively and active. He was kind and he helped people.

"He was just a nice man that everybody liked."

Mr Burke's funeral will be held on Tuesday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Portswood at 10am, followed by a burial at South Stoneham Cemetery at 11am.