'I never knew a cancer could kill so quickly': Daughter's heartbreaking plea to cut wait for pancreatic cancer treatment

The daughter of a man who died days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has urged hospitals to cut the waiting times for potentially life-saving treatment.

Lottie Bradley's father Parke was wrongly told that the pain in his ankle was a pulled Achilles tendon and not deep vein thrombosis - a symptom of pancreatic cancer - during multiple trips to hospital.

He was eventually diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer and died 20 days later - on the same day he was due to begin treatment.

Parke, a beloved father to Lottie, Alex and Tom and husband to Caroline, was just 61 and about to start enjoying his retirement.

"It was devastating for all of us," Lottie told ITV News.

"It gave us no time to process what was happening or him to process what was happening...he was just about to start the exciting bit of his life."

Lottie was speaking for the first time since her father's death in March as Pancreatic Cancer UK claimed that too many patients are dying because of avoidable delays in starting treatment.

The charity told ITV News that hundreds of patients are seeing the aggressive cancer spread while they wait for surgery.

Campaigners are now demanding the government eradicates delays and sets a new ambition of ensuring all patients are treated within 20 days.

"When we found out that my dad had cancer, we thought it would be fine because we knew so little about this specific type and we thought he'd have treatment and would be fine in a few months," Lottie said.

"But you can go, in a matter of days from walking around, talking, eating to suddenly you can't walk, you can't talk and it's too late...and there's no going back.

"It is really shocking - I never knew a cancer could kill so quickly from being diagnosed.

"This should be a priority."

Paying tribute to her father, Lottie said: "Obviously I'm going to be biased but he was the literally the best man in the world and spent his whole life working for all of us.

"He was the man of many passions: he loved sport, skiing and loved food and wine - perhaps a little too much!"

"We have a huge amount of memories with him - we don't have any regrets but it would have been nice to have more time."

She added: "When something this awful happens, all of my family have felt slightly helpless and we don't really know what to do with our ourselves.

"So we are trying to do something positive, keep busy and help other people because it has affected us so badly."

Diana Jupp, chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: "Pancreatic cancer has been left behind - we are about 40 years behind in awareness and treatment options.

"This is the quickest killing cancer in the UK. We need the government to raise awareness and funding with further research. Without this, we are never going to be able to save lives.

"We are calling on the government to recognise pancreatic cancer as a cancer emergency so that all patients who are diagnosed are treated within 20 days."

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often described as vague. Here is what to look out for, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK:

• upper abdominal pain

• change in poo

• weight loss

• tiredness

If symptoms don't subside, visit your GP or call the Pancreatic Cancer UK helpline for advice.