A dad whose baby died after suffering from a lack of oxygen when midwives failed to notice he had been born under bed sheets has dismissed the hospital’s apology as ‘too little, too late’.

Maninder Singh was born following an agonising labour during which mum Geeta opted for an epidural, leaving her unable to feel anything from the waist down.

Medical evidence suggests Maninder was already in a poor condition, but the delay in staff noticing he had been born and acting to resuscitate him meant he suffered further, avoidable injury, an inquest in Manchester heard. He suffered severe brain damage and died six months later.

At Maninder’s inquest, coroner Nigel Meadows cited a catalogue of errors made by midwives at St Mary’s Hospital as contributory factors to Maninder’s death.

Yesterday, his family finally received an apology from both Geeta’s midwife Helen Burns and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

But they said it was ‘too little too late’ after four years of waiting for answers during which time Geeta also died aged 32, soon after giving birth to her second child in 2010.

Geeta’s husband Kamaljeet, who was represented by Irwin Mitchell, said: “This has been an extremely difficult four years for my family who lost a much loved son under horrific circumstances.

“I am pleased that we finally have justice and that the trust has admitted that more could have been done to save Maninder but it has been four years and this apology is too little too late. My wife died never knowing what happened and why and never knowing that anyone was sorry for our loss.”

Geeta, from Urmston, who suffered from diabetes and a range of other health problems, was known to be a ‘high risk’ case when she was admitted to St Mary’s in October 2008.

A decision had been made to induce her at 34 weeks amid concerns the baby’s growth had slowed.

Helen Burns, a midwife for eight years, administered a drug to induce the baby but Geeta’s pain worsened.

She consented to an epidural for the pain - but the consultant anaesthetist first performed a ‘spinal block’ so she would sit still enough to have the epidural.

This, the inquest heard, amounted to a double dose of pain relief.

The inquest heard how midwives did not regularly check Geeta’s labour progress and she delivered Maninder while numb from the epidural.

When midwives went to attach a foetal scalp electrode to monitor the baby’s heart rate they pulled back the cover and discovered Maninder had already been born.

Geeta’s sister Rekha Singh told the inquest: “I was talking to Helen at the door and when I looked round at the bed the cord was stretched down and the baby was between her (Geeta’s) legs and the baby was blue.”

Maninder was given immediate resuscitation but suffered severe brain damage, developed severe respiratory problems and died on May 4 2009.

Three expert witnesses - two midwives and a doctor - confirmed that the foetal scalp electrode should have been applied much earlier and a consultant obstetrician called to help.

Mike Maresh, consultant obstetrician at St Mary’s who was on holiday at the time of the birth, said the trust had made a raft of changes following Maninder’s death.

Giving evidence, midwife Miss Burns, who now works in a different department, said: “I want to tell the family how sorry I am.” Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Meadows said Maninder died of severe brain damage after being starved of oxygen.

He listed eight failings by the trust including its failure to recognise the baby was in distress, urgently summon a senior doctor or examine Geeta properly. He said he had chosen not to refer Miss Burns to the Nursing and Midwifery council and that lessons had been learned.

The coroner said: “This is one of the saddest sagas a family has had to endure for many years.

“Geeta, following the sad death of Maninder, became pregnant again, delivered the baby and then sadly died of complications thereafter.

“This is a unique story of tragedy involving one family.”

Kathryn Murphy, head of Nursing and Midwifery at St Mary’s Hospital, said: “We have recognised there were failings surrounding the care of Maninder Singh in 2008 and we accept that this fell below the level of care we normally provide; as a result we have reviewed our practices and systems and implemented a number of changes.”