Health bosses are investigating a complaint that an elderly war hero was refused extra pillows to make him more comfortable as he lay dying in hospital from lung disease.

Leslie Cooke, 78, who won the Malta Cross for his bravery during the Second World War, needed to be propped up by several pillows during his final hours of need.

But his family claim that staff at Airedale General Hospital, Steeton, refused to give him more than two, forcing his son Gordon to leave his all-night bedside vigil to fetch more from his Addingham home five miles away.

Gordon Cooke, 46, has now lodged a complaint with health bosses condemning the standard of care his father received in the hours before he died.

And he also alleges that his father was not given correct medication and was subjected to unnecessary rough handling by nursing staff.

"I even asked if we could take pillows from the empty bed next door, but we were told they were needed in case someone else came in and needed the bed," said Mr Cooke, a security officer.

"My father needed at least five pillows, bearing in mind he was suffering from pulmonary disease. I had to drive over ten miles to take the pillows from my own bed at home. I'm not saying the misconduct of hospital staff killed him, but their lack of decent humane care certainly contributed and caused unnecessary additional grief to my father, myself and my family.

"It seems like if you are over a certain age, they write you off."

Bob Allen, chief executive of the Airedale NHS Trust, has acknowledged the family's complaint and assured them it will be investigated thoroughly.

Today, Peter Warburton, the trust's complaints manager, added: "We are investigating the issues which have been raised by Mr Cooke and will let him have a response in the near future.

"Our policy is to allocate each patient the appropriate number of pillows, depending on their condition."

But John Godward, chief officer of the Airedale Community Health Council which acts as the patients' watchdog, said: "I am extremely distressed to hear about this. It's something we want to take up with the trust.

"Everyone - of whatever age - is entitled to good service and I am astonished. It's one of those horror stories you hope will never happen in your district. Having to drive home for pillows is absolutely ridiculous."

And Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer said: "This is absolutely absurd and the family deserve an apology.

"Both my mother and mother-in-law died from pneumonia in hospital and I clearly remember both of them sitting up to enable them to breathe. I am amazed Airedale could only provide two pillows. It badly needs looking into.

"That a ward dealing with elderly people, knowing what's needed, had the effrontery to say they only had two pillows when the old man's dying - it's pathetic."

After Mr Cooke's death on June 5, his family made a pilgrimage to Malta with his ashes.

He was Master at Arms in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy and was honoured for his deeds in air sea rescue during the two-year-long siege of Malta.

A special ceremony on Father's Day was held by his family in the cathedral in the island's capital, Valletta, and his ashes were interred at the Medina war cemetery.

"It was always my father's dream to go back to Malta, where he lost so many friends and colleagues. It's nice that he's ended up where he wanted to be," said Mr Cooke.

"I just feel he deserved better treatment than he got at Airedale. I know medical staff are under funded and under pressure, but they could have done more."