A HAMPSHIRE father who had to plead with health bosses to give him the operation that could save his life has had his hopes dashed yet again after the procedure was postponed.

As reported in the Daily Echo in April, obese Neil Crouch faced a 50 per cent chance of dying within five years if he was not given stomach-stapling, or bariatric surgery.

The 36-year-old weighs 23 stone. He also suffers from high blood pressure, diabetes and renal failure.

He agreed to try the surgery in desperation after attempts to lose weight through dieticians and medication were unsuccessful.

But the New Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) initially said it could not agree to fund the procedure.

According to guidelines laid down by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, all candidates must first attend an obesity clinic - the nearest one being at the King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, West Sussex.

But after meeting again with his consultant, health bosses finally gave Mr Crouch a date for the operation.

The procedure was due to take place on Wednesday, but the father-of-three was dealt a further blow after being admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital.

He said: "I went in on Tuesday to have it on Wednesday, got gowned up and they told me I couldn't have it because all the pre-operative tests they'd done showed my heart kept stopping and I've got a kidney problem which needs sorting out.

"If I had had the operation my chance of surviving would have been one in four. So it's been put off again.

"They said it would probably be just after the new year, but I'm gutted.

"It could have been all over by now."