A pensioner has been paid an undisclosed sum in damages by a Black Country hospital after a botched anaesthetic left her screaming in agony.

Vera Beck, 83, from Brownhills, says she received a series of doses of anaesthetic ahead of an operation to have a bunion removed from her left foot at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Despite telling medical staff that she could still feel sensation in her foot, she says the surgeon began to the procedure before her groans of agony prompted a nurse to call for it to be halted.

A general anaesthetic was administered and the operation was completed in September 2008.

Mrs Beck complained to the hospital about the incident, claiming bosses denied liability and refused to apologise. Today Walsall Manor Hospital issued an apology for the “very distressing experience”.

The hospital agreed to pay substantial damages on the condition the exact amount remained confidential.

Mrs Beck was unavailable to comment on the payout she received today.

However, solicitor Helen Bradin, who represented Mrs Beck on behalf of Walsall law firm Bradin Trubshaw, said: “The way Walsall Manor Hospital dealt with Mrs Beck was literally a case of adding insult to injury.

“The thing that most frustrated her was the fact that nobody from the hospital offered her an apology, despite being put through agony as the surgeon’s scalpel sliced into her foot.

“If the hospital had held its hands up earlier, I doubt Mrs Beck would have ever have felt the need to pursue litigation against them.”

Sarah Smith, Director of Development, Walsall Manor Hospital said: “A formal written response from our chief executive was sent to Vera Beck on November 5 2008, expressing the trust’s apology for what was obviously a very distressing experience.

“On behalf of the trust we would once again like to offer our apologies for any distress that this may have caused.”