An anaesthetist has told an inquest she was not aware of hospital policy regarding nasogastric tubes.

Giving evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Michael Parke, from Cockermouth and Amanda Coulthard, from Penrith, Dr Suraiya Hossain that an X-ray showed the tip of the tube inserted into Mr Parke at the West Cumberland Hospital on November 5 2012 was in his stomach.

The X-ray had been pre-authorised before the tube was inserted by Dr Zahid Mahmood.

However Dr Hossain told coroner David Roberts that she was not aware that X-Rays should be pre-authorised, nor was she aware that policy laid out in 2011 that dictated a series of checks should be made before feeding through the tube can commence.

Dr Hossain also admitted that she had failed to record where she believed the tip of the tube was located.

Questioned by Matthew Holdcroft, counsel for the inquest, she said: "I think I had been called at that time. I forgot to write it down."

Dr Hossain said she retired around a month after the death of Mr Parke on December 6, 2012.

She said she was only made aware of the policy after his death and undertook training on December 9.

She was asked by Mr Holdcroft whether it would have made a difference is she was aware of the policy. She said: "Maybe."

She continued: "Because previously I had never seen a misplaced nasogastric tube on an X-ray."

The inquest continues.