Derbyshire man died after gastric band operation in Turkey

Builder Joe Thornley, 25, underwent the budget £3,000 surgery in a bid to stop him piling on the pounds during the festive period.

He weighed 22 stone and desperately wanted the op to slim down and lose fat - and restrict how much he ate.

Joe flew from the UK and landed in Istanbul on December 9 last year ahead of the gastric sleeve operation.

But after the two-hour op Joe texted his mum Julie to say he was 'in a lot of pain'.

Mum-of-two Julie replied 'ask for some painkillers' - which was her last correspondence with her youngest son.

Both Julie and husband Michael, 57, did not hear from their son for the next two days - assuming he was recovering.

But Julie, who lived with her son in South Normanton, Derbyshire was devastated when police turned up at work to tell her Joe had died.

The death certificate in Turkey ruled Joe's death was a result of "natural causes".

But a post-mortem in Britain last month ruled Joe's death to be as a result of internal bleeding after the gastric sleeve operation.

Heartbroken Julie said: "It's been tough and just horrible.

"It was meant to be a Monday to Friday thing - go in on the Monday and be back at home on the Friday.

"I just want to warn others who are thinking about doing it. I don't want another family to be what we've been through."

Joe, who weighed twenty-two stone when he flew out to Turkey, started looking into cosmetic surgery abroad after struggling to shift the pounds.

He booked an appointment weeks ahead of the op and told his family he would be back at the end of the week and slim enough for Christmas.

As stated on Medicana Istanbul Bahcelievler's website, the sleeve gastrectomy sees doctors remove 70 to 80 per cent of the stomach, creating a "tube shape" which sees "the amount of food which can pass through the stomach restricted".

The website goes on to state that after the operation "A ‘Ghrelin’ hormone, which is released from fundus of the stomach, is thought to be responsible from overweight and obesity."

A patient is then said to see weight loss as a result of the reduced volume of the stomach and control in appetite.

Risks outlined on the website include bleeding, damage to other organs and Anesthesia-related complications.

After not hearing from her son for two days, police turned up at Julie's place of work to tell her Joe had passed away.

Since losing her youngest son last year, Julie and husband Michael have been off work for bereavement as they come to terms with Joe's death

Julie said: "He told me the day before.

"I didn't think anything of it. I told him I couldn't stop him and that he didn't need it - the usual mum stuff.

"I saw him on the Sunday before he left.

"I joked saying 'Oh at least you'll be in shape for the summer and Ibiza' and teased him about not being able to eat out as much as he liked.

"I just never expected anything like this would have happened.

"I was just in utter, utter shock.

"Both me and my husband are still off work for bereavement.

"He was a young 25-year-old boy with his whole life ahead of him.

"He managed to lose a bit of weight when he was younger but he's always been on the bigger side.

"His friends are thin but he was very popular.

"They've actually helped us through it - popping by to check if we're alright.

"We're slowly getting there but it was just such a shock.

"Now I can't stop thinking of all the other young people who want a butt lift or a want something doing to their face.

"It's just not worth it. I just hope anyone considering this reads our story and doesn't take it lightly."

Medicana Istanbul Bahcelievler have been contacted for comment.