Parklife festival death: Robert Hart's family 'will not accept hospital failings'

Robert Hart died four days after the attack at Parklife Music Festival in 2014

The family of a man who died after being punched at a music festival have said they "will never be able to accept the failings" of a hospital.

Robert Hart died four days after an assault at Parklife Music Festival in Heaton Park, Manchester in June 2014.

His brain scan was misinterpreted by a hospital, but at his inquest coroner Nigel Meadows said Salford Royal's "failings did not amount to neglect".

The hospital has apologised and said changes have been made since his death.

The inquest concluded Mr Hart, 26, was unlawfully killed and died of a head injury following an assault. His attacker has not been found.

The assault followed an altercation which happened after his girlfriend was hit on the head with an inflatable doll.

The two-day Parklife festival began in 2010 and attracts about 70,000 attendees each day

The inquest at Manchester Town Hall earlier heard Mr Hart, who lived in Liverpool, had consumed alcohol and ecstasy tablets during the day.

Joseph Rendall, a medic who was on duty at the event, said apart from a small bruise above his left eye, Mr Hart was alert and talking and did not meet the criteria of a major trauma.

For that reason, he was taken to North Manchester General Hospital rather than Salford Royal.

A CT scan was carried out on him at the hospital and sent digitally to Salford Royal, which specialises in head and brain injuries.

'On your conscience'

A wrong interpretation of his brain scan led to a delay in Mr Hart's transfer to Salford, the inquest was earlier told.

His mother Elaine said: "It is heartbreaking to realise that if Robert had been transferred, if he had been operated on, he would still be here today.

"We have to live with the knowledge of the failure of the hospital and that we will never be able to accept."

The coroner said Salford Royal hospital had accepted he "probably would have survived" if the scan had been interpreted correctly.

In a statement, the hospital said Mr Hart "did not receive the high standard of care we always pride ourselves on delivering, and we have apologised unreservedly to his family for this".

Appealing for the attacker to come forward, Mr Hart's father Allan said: "You've got a life and my son hasn't and it will be on your conscience for a long time."