Robert Hart ‘might have survived’ if he was transferred over to Salford Royal Hospital sooner, a coroner's court hears.

The inquest into the death of the 26-year-old from Macclesfield also heard the CT scan had also been ‘misinterpreted’.

The music lover died after he was punched in the head at Parklife music festival on June 7 2014.

Robert was first taken to North Manchester General Hospital and was kept there for ‘a period of time’ before being transferred to Salford Royal Hospital.

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Senior Coroner Nigel Meadows said: “He was kept at the hospital for a period of time. His condition deteriorated and he eventually was transferred to the Salford Royal Hospital on June 8.

“Salford Royal acknowledge that he should have been transferred over and had he been treated sooner he might have survived.

“Their investigations have highlighted a number of issues.”

The inquest also heard how his CT scan was misinterpreted at Salford Royal Hospital and there were communication issues in his care.

Coroner Meadows asked whether someone with a reported head injury should have been automatically taken to a specialist centre instead of going to North Manchester General Hospital.

Giving evidence Robert’s mother, Elaine Hart, said the last 18 months had been ‘the most heartbreaking’ of their lives.

She said: “His love and passion in life was music.

“We adored Robert. He was our fourth child and adored by everybody. We will never come to terms with what’s happened.

“It’s been the most heartbreaking 18 months of our lives.”

Gemma Parry, Robert’s girlfriend at the time, was not present in court but her witness statement was read aloud.

She described how she and Robert were waiting for Snoop Dogg at the main stage when an inflatable doll hit her on the head.

She said: “Rob said to the guy, ‘What are you playing at?’ in a normal tone, he wasn’t being aggressive.”

Then the next thing she knew the two men were ‘throwing punches at each other for about 50 seconds’.

She said: “I fell to the floor in the mud and then saw Rob hit the floor. He was lying on his back looking up at the sky. I was shouting and screaming. He started to turn purple. He wasn’t responding.”

An off-duty midwife, Kerri Melero, was praised by the coroner for resuscitating Robert when he was unconscious on the floor.

Kerri said: “I heard a thud - it was calculated, an extremely powerful punch. This wasn’t someone drunkenly throwing a punch at someone.

“I saw Gemma screaming to the man, ‘What have you done to him? What have you done to him?’. This was a man in need of medical attention.

“His face was turning blue.”

The midwife successfully resuscitated Robert and colour came back into his face and he even managed to sit up.He was then seen by paramedics before being taken to North Manchester General Hospital.

The coroner urged anyone with information about the assailant to come forward.

He said: “Only they know what they have done. I urge everyone to search their conscience to come forward with information.”

Proceeding.