MB ChB MAnch 1955; FRCP Lond 1972.
Stretton was born on 28 September 1931 and studied medicine at Manchester, where he was awarded the Medical Clinical Prize in 1955. After qualifying, he held house appointments at MRI and served in the RAMC at the Army Chest Centre, Hindhead, Surrey. He then returned to MRI where he worked in the department of cardiology and did respiratory research. In 1965, Stretton went to Newcastle-upon-Tyne as senior lecturer at the University and consultant physician at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. He established a laboratory in the University for research into cardiopulmonary disorders. Stretton later returned to Manchester as consultant physician at MRI and senior lecturer in medicine at the University. He was a member of the Association of Physician's and the British Thoracic Society. He published a number of articles on cardiology.