TWO men have been left “shaken” after being asked to wait in a hospital room – only to find a dead body next door.

Wayne Smith and his brother-in-law James Horrigan, from Malvern Link, were at A&E at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

While they waited for their friend who needed treatment, they say nurses told them they could go and sit down in a room.

After around ten minutes, they went to look for a toilet – opening a door inside the room, leading to another room – where they found a dead body laid on a bed.

Mr Horrigan, 43, says they were later told the room they were invited to wait in was a family bereavement room.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised and said it has launched an investigation into the incident on Tuesday, March 28, as the room should have been locked.

Mr Smith said: “They put us into this waiting room. There was a door on the side. I thought it was a toilet and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing – a dead body. I called my brother-in-law.

“I felt very upset, shocked. I think it is absolutely disgusting. I could have had my little son with me.”

Mr Horrigan, of Jamaica Road, said: “I’m stressed. I have not long lost an uncle.

"It has just done my head right in. It shook me up, I was horrified.

“It must be horrible for the family, if they find out they would be disgusted. That room should have been locked."

After finding the body, Mr Horrigan informed a porter of what had happened, and a senior nurse later apologised for the ordeal.

A trust spokesman said: “Senior staff on duty at the time were made aware of this incident and offered their sincere apologies to Mr Horrigan for the distress this understandably caused.

“The room is usually locked and should not have been accessible to members of the public.

“An investigation is underway into the circumstances that led to this error occurring.

“We would again like to say sorry to Mr Horrigan for the upset caused.”