Human tissue found in Hillingdon and Mount Vernon surgery kits

Operations at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon hospitals were suspended after doctors found surgical kits contaminated by human flesh and pieces of bone.

The first was discovered on Wednesday and operations continued until midday yesterday, by which time 24 contaminated kits were revealed.

The hospitals restarted operations this morning. A spokesman insisted none of the contaminated kits would have been used in surgery as staff would have noticed the human tissue.

Up to five people have been suspended from private company IH Sterile Services, which is responsible for cleaning the equipment, while an "urgent investigation" is carried out. The firm apologised.