A sick police detective died after going back to work too early because he feared missing out on promotion, his widow claimed today.

Father-of-four Hugh Brady, pictured, died from heart failure brought on by a viral chest infection.

But his widow Christine believes he could have survived if he hadn't returned to duty so early.

She said he'd been advised by a doctor not to go back but was worried he would be ignored for promotion because of stringent police service rules.

Now Mrs Brady, of Oakworth, near Keighley, is considering taking legal action against the force and is battling for a change in the sickness rules.

Under the "attendance criteria" rule, which was only introduced last October, officers are not considered for promotion or transfer to other departments if they exceed a set number of sick days in a given period.

Mrs Brady said her Detective Constable husband received a sick note from his doctor after contracting a virus in March.

After a week he returned to work at Keighley CID but continued to suffer the effects of the illness.

She said the night he returned he suffered a "turn" which left him with chest pains and difficulty breathing.

"He suffered a turn at work the next day and ended up on his hands and knees," said Mrs Brady.

The following day she sent him to their GP who told him not to return to duty and he never worked again.

"I can remember him saying: 'That's it then, I can't get promotion now'."

Several days later, after his condition deteriorated, Det Con Brady died at his home after the chest infection led to his heart failure.

Since his death, Mrs Brady, 44, said she had learned Det Con Brady had written a letter expressing his concerns.

She said: "It said that he was not fit to be there but he had to be because of this new ruling.

"He was not one to take time off work. He loved his job.

"All I know is that before he went back to work he hadn't had one of the turns. It seemed that it was triggered by exertion.

"He went back to work because he thought his promotion prospects would be nil for two years if he didn't. If he hadn't felt he had to go back in maybe he would have been able to beat the virus."

Mrs Brady said that 44-year-old Det Con Brady, who had been a policeman for 11 years, was keen to move to the National Crime Squad and so feared being overlooked because of the absence rule.

She said he had given up his previous career as a design draftsman to do the job he loved.

"He was so dedicated and wanted to make a difference. He really cared about the people he dealt with like the young lads who had gone off the tracks."

Chris Turton, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, said: "The Federation regrets the sudden death of our colleague and on behalf of Det Con Brady's widow we are seeking legal advice as to whether there is any liability on the part of West Yorkshire Police regarding whether he returned to work as a result of the new policy."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Our deepest sympathies are with the family of Det Con Hugh Brady at what must be a difficult time for them."

He said the matter was being discussed with the Federation and added: "The West Yorkshire Police policy on attendance is similar to those used by many other police forces as well as many other public and private sector organisations."