Man went into hospital with infection and 13 days later he was dead

A man who was admitted to with what believed was a common urine infection died just days later, leaving his loved-ones shocked and devastated.

Ben Boyle, 37, from Clitheroe, was taken to Royal Infirmary in late October 2023, with his family expecting a short stay, but within days, his condition spiralled - he developed , caught a blood virus, and suffered total kidney failure. On Sunday November 5, just 13 days after being admitted, Ben died with his by his side. His mum, Gillian Barnes, 63, stayed by his hospital bed every single day, sleeping on a camp bed next to him. Stepdad Alan Barnes, 65, said the family had expected a short stay and that Ben's hospital admission was "unexpected".

He told the : "He went in with a urine infection and we thought he would be in for a few days, three or four days, but after three days he got sepsis and endocarditis which affected his heart. Ben's body was retaining over eight litres of fluid which needed draining."

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Ben, an Everton fan who made "everyone laugh", celebrated his mum's birthday while receiving a blood transfusion in hospital, but tragically died the following day. Alan continued: "His kidney started packing up so they put an emergency line into his groin but it wasn't working. The day before he died was his mum's birthday and we spent it in hospital at his bedside while he was having a blood transfusion. We had a Chinese.

"On the morning Ben died, his favourite singer was going to come onto the ward and sing some of his favourite songs for him, but I had a call to say Ben had taken a turn for the worst and had to cancel. When I arrived they had just brought Ben back to life and we spent some time with him before he died. He will be a big void in my life."

Earlier in his life, Ben was diagnosed with the very rare Bardet Biedl Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects many parts of the body. The condition led to Ben being registered blind and having learning difficulties. He underwent three kidney transplants which gave him "seven bonus years" with his family. Ben's parents described him as being "quick witted" and able to make "everybody laugh".

As well as his love of football and rugby, Ben also enjoyed and never missed an episode of Question Time. Alan said: "He had been through hell and back but he never moaned and was always cheerful. He was so quick witted, he would make everyone laugh.

"We would try to get him to as many matches as we could at Everton and managed two or three per season. The stewards and staff were always so lovely to him, especially when he was invited to the ground as a special guest of the club after an operation he had.

"When his brother [Andrew] died 11 years ago, the funeral directors said to us that Ben could stay there for a few hours, and they took him on a trip to McDonald's in the hearse for a Happy Meal. He gave a tall member of staff a nickname... The Grim Reaper as he drove around in the hearse. That was Ben.

"Although he was 37, he was very much a child in some ways. He loved the Jungle Book and his favourite character was Baloo, we got him a bear from a trip to Florida and it went everywhere with him, we're putting it in his coffin along with his presents."