Health chiefs have launched an investigation after a father died days after being told to wait his turn in a hospital A&E unit.

The Medway Messenger exclusively revealed Stewart Fleming’s fight for life in our Boxing Day print edition.

We reported how the 37-year old signalman from Rainham, had been looking forward to spending Christmas at home with his wife Sarah and two children, Matthew and Lauren.

Instead, he was left clinging onto life in the intensive care ward of a top London hospital with his devoted partner at his side. Stewart lost his battle on Saturday night.

A spokesman for Medway Maritime Hospital said: "We are saddened to hear of the death of Stewart Fleming and would like to express our condolences.

"Mr Fleming came to Medway’s Emergency Department on a day when it was experiencing long waits due to high numbers of admissions.

"The situation was not unique to Medway – hospitals across the country were all experiencing a rise in demand for their services at this time.

"Although nothing can compensate for this tragic loss, we are currently investigating the case internally."

It is thought Stewart was suffering from a viral infection, which attacked his heart, kidneys and liver.

He began feeling unwell on Thursday, December 4. When a course of antibiotics failed to improve his condition his GP sent him to Medway Maritime Hospital with a letter saying he needed to be admitted immediately.

But his visit to A&E coincided with a period of unprecedented demand at the hospital and he was forced to wait to be assessed.

Sarah, his wife of 15 years, believes this harmed his chances of survival.

She said: “There are many questions. Why wait three hours for triage when his doctor had already done it and put it in writing? He should have been dealt with immediately.”

• Listen to Sarah Fleming speaking to assistant news editor Lee Winter about Stewart's treatment at Medway Maritime A&E.

• Kent health campaigner David Short has spoken to KMFM about what needs to be done to prevent such a tragedy happening again. Click here for more.

• Gillingham MP Paul Clark and his Tory rival Reh Chishti have spoken about the case with the Medway councillor demanding an independent inquiry. Click here for more on this story.