HOSPITAL bosses in Southampton are urging people not to panic after it was revealed that almost 2,000 brains have been retained in the city.

The Daily Echo revealed yesterday that Southampton General Hospital still has 2,000 whole organs, most of them brains, at its Tremona Road premises.

But health chiefs are stressing that, despite the high number, all of the families involved are well aware of the situation and no new cases have come forward in the last four years. The information came to light as a government report yesterday revealed that some 24,000 brains are retained in hospitals throughout Britain.

Hospital spokeswoman Marilyn Kay said: "If people think this is new information and they can find out more, it's not anything new.

"As far as this hospital is concerned, like all other teaching hospitals, we are responsible for anything that's been kept by the university, but it's all been checked and accounted for.

"This is a national, general issue, but it's nothing new. There's never been a complete decision on the disposal and that's one of the things that's expected to come from this report."

After the organ retention scandal first came to light in 1999 the hospital received some 1,500 phone calls from concerned families.

Anyone concerned about organ retention issues should call the Retained Organs Commission on 0800 838 909.