A MAN says he will take legal action against Basildon Hospital after catching MRSA.

Pietre Sannister, 63, was caring for his sick step-mum when he suffered a nervous breakdown.

He was taken into hospital and five weeks later he fell out of bed and broke his hip, which needed to be operated on.

It was then he believes he caught the flesh-eating bug, which left a gaping "hole" in his left heel.

Mr Sannister, of Stansfield Road, Benfleet, has been out of hospital for seven months, but still cannot walk. His weight has dropped from 13 stone to eight stone. He also claims he caught the superbug C.diff during his nine-month stay at Basildon hospital and the neighbouring Mental Health Unit.

Mr Sannister has now consulted solicitors with a view to claiming compensation.

He said: "I kept on coming out with sores, from the MRSA, on my feet.

"All of a sudden one of them went crazy.

"It turned into a hole, all the way from my ankle to the middle of my heel."

He added: "They told me at one point they would have to take my foot off. Luckily, they didn't have to do that in the end."

Mr Sannister was checked into the mental health unit after suffering a breakdown in January 2007.

He said: "I was only supposed to go in for a month, but ended up staying for nine.

"It was terrible what happened to me and I've still got MRSA.

"I could walk on crutches when I went in, but I'm in a wheelchair now."

Basildon Hospital spokeswoman Pat Trinnaman said she couldn't say much because of patient confidentiality.

She said: "We regret the patient feels his care fell below our normal high standards.

"We would encourage him to contact the patient advice and liason service, who will investigate his concerns and give him a full response."