My watermelon-sized hernia ruptures and spurts blood – but NHS refuses to operate even after 20kg weight loss

IT started as a golf-sized lump. Now, John Burden’s hernia is the size of a watermelon after being left to grow for four years. It’s a common problem that strikes a third of people over-50. But the NHS won’t operate on John’s - and, trapped in a stagnant life on benefits, he’s taking a gamble...