The family of pensioner Joan Kennedy were devaststed after the 83-year-old died when she went into hospital with a minor infection.

Three weeks after being admitted to the Great Western Hospital fin Swindon, or treatment for a urine infection,she was diagnosed with Clostridium Difficile and died last Monday.

Joan's daughter Christine Warr, of Fanstones Road, Eldene, who visited her regularly said she was shocked by the hospital's hygiene standards.

Christine said she had to clean faeces from the handrail of her mother's bed and saw medical staff risk contaminating other patients with the contagious bacterial infection.

"Mum was quite happy when she went in," said Christine. "Urine infections are quite common for people with diabetes, so we weren't worried."

"I know she was elderly but she was in good shape, but 12 weeks after going in she died.

Joan was admitted to the Great Western's Jupiter ward on July 6. Three and a half weeks later she was diagnosed with C Diff while on Orchard ward.

"They transferred her back the main block and put her in a ward with four other people," said Christine.

"She was there for four days, but when I asked a nurse if it was all right having C Diff and being around others they didn't even know she had it.

"I had to ask for the railings to be cleaned. My daughter and I would use disinfectant wipes and cleaned them several times. One time there was faeces on there, and that was after she had been diagnosed with C Diff.

"On the Saturday before she died she was vomiting blood. I had to call a nurse to help her. He was from the cardiac unit. He went back and could have infected patients there.

"The staff regularly gave her dinner and even treatment without wearing gloves."

The hospital's registrar confirmed Joan died as a result of the hospital superbug and her death certificate cited Clostridium Difficile as the cause of death.

"I'm glad that the death certificate reflects the truth," said Christine.

"We knew that was why she died but it is terrible to think someone can go into a place meant to make you better and end up so much worse."

GWH medical director Dr Alf Troughton said he could not discuss individual cases, but did explain the hospital's measures for preventing the infection.

"Every hospital has a certain amount of clostridium and it is our objective to keep that at a minimum," he said.

"We have to be careful to only use antibiotics when necessary. Although they could be needed to treat the underlying condition, antibiotics can kill the normal bacteria that prevent infection too.

"The clostridium bug produces spores which take a lot to kill.

"For infections like MRSA alcohol handwashes work but with this you need to scrub with soap and water as well. You have to clean as thoroughly as you can, especially beds and bed pans.

"This infection typically comes in outbreaks so we try to put patients in single rooms or into bays with about four beds with other patients with the infection."

Dr Troughton said cleaners hired using Government funding giving the hospital a thorough scrub.