David Swain (60), of Long Clawson, suffered from bowel cancer and was recommended a treatment of drug Erbitux which is said to shrink tumours and prolong life.

He offered to pay for the course himself but it was turned down on his appeal to the Leicestershire County and Rutland Primary Care Trust (PCT), saying it did not want a two-tier health care system.

But since his death, the family has revealed he was given the go-ahead for another drug Avastin, which the trust said he could pay for himself.

Oldest son Daniel (32) said: "It is frustrating. He got to the point where the PCT was going to allow him to pay for Avastin which is very similar to Erbitux, but it was too late.

"Hopefully it will do some good for other people. The registrar in Leicester was grateful to dad for the work he did in making these drugs more available.

"It is just a shame the trust is run more by its financial side rather than their hearts and the caring side. We can't criticise them for it, they are doing their jobs. It's just the way it works. But the family would all like to thank everyone at Leicester Royal Infirmary who have been fantastic."

Mr Swain was recommended Eribitux by his consultant after the cancer spread to his liver and lungs but the PCT refused the treatment on the grounds that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence said it was not viable.

An appeal was launched and Mr Swain offered to pay for the drug himself but the trust said he would have to cover the cost of all the treatment, putting it beyond his reach.

Speaking to the Melton Times in February he said: "It's not the NHS, it's a political thing. I think the treatment I have had so far at the Leicester Royal Infirmary is fantastic. It's remarkable. It's the funding that is the problem.

"If you have breast cancer everything because of the outcry around Herceptin. It doesn't feel like that with bowel cancer."

Mr Swain died on Sunday in Northwich, Cheshire, after visiting the region to see a vintage racing event involving his two oldest sons Daniel and Ben (30).

Daniel said: "He was a big vintage motorcycle enthusiast and it was typical that we were in Northwich when he died. We had all been invited up, that was something he was really passionate about."

A spokesman for the PCT said: "We cannot comment on individual cases because of patient confidentiality. If patients wish to undertake any element of their treatment within the private sector that would be their right, but it must be kept completely separate from any NHS treatment."