AN INTERNAL inquiry has been launched at a top London hospital into the death of a 30-year-old former Trowbridge football player.

Lee Cafferkey was treated for a migraine on his first visit to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital but six days later was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia and left fighting for his life.

The former Trowbridge schoolboy and well-known football player died less than a week later on February 8 from a fatal bleed to the brain.

His mother, Teresa, 53, and stepfather Jack, 57, of Sycamore Grove, Trowbridge, are left waiting for the results of an inquest and an internal hospital inquiry, to find out how medical staff failed to diagnose the rare form of M3 leukaemia which is treatable if spotted early in blood samples. Mr Taylor said the whole family was devastated and struggling to come to terms with Mr Cafferkey's death.

He said: "It has been a horrible time. It is bad enough to lose a son but under these circumstances is awful.

"When we got to the hospital we were asked if we wanted a priest and even then we were not thinking straight. Then he was reading out his last rites. It was a shock."

Hundreds of people packed St John's Roman Catholic Church in Trowbridge two weeks ago for Mr Cafferkey's funeral, including more than 100 work colleagues from Channel 4, where he was a media sales manager, former football team mates and relatives from all corners of the globe.

A service was later held at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington.

A much-loved former pupil at St John's Roman Catholic primary school and St Augusti-ne's Secondary School, Mr Cafferkey played football for Airsprung boys and a youth team based in Southwick.

Graduating from Luton University he went straight into a media sales job at T.S.M.S now known as Grandamedia before moving onto Channel 4 six years ago.

He was living in Clapham, London, with his long-term partner Louise. Mr Taylor said the family were comforted by the sheer amount of support they have received in the wake of Mr Cafferkey's death.

During his brief hospital stay work colleagues at Channel 4 arranged for a Manchester United shirt to be signed by the 30-year-old's football hero David Beckham. The shirt was framed for Mr Cafferkey's mother along with a condolence letter sent personally by Manchester United club manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Mr Taylor said: "One of Lee's friends came over from New York just for the day of his funeral. It was amazing.

"He would have loved all his friends and family being together."

"We have three A4 albums full of letters.

A spokesman for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital confirmed a full investigation was being carried out and promised the results would be openly shared with Mr Cafferkey's family.