BOSSES at Southampton General Hospital revealed today that almost 2,000 brains have been retained from patients for research.

The hospital admitted it still held 2,000 whole organs, most of which are brains, at its premises in Tremona Road.

The figures were released as a government inquiry due to be published later today is expected to reveal that some 24,000 brains are still stored in hospitals and universities in Britain.

But the hospital stressed the figures had not increased since 1999 when the Daily Echo revealed that organ retention had been a widespread practice until 1996.

Spokeswoman Marilyn Kay said: "We do some research for CJD and we've made it clear before that brains have been retained here because we've had people wanting them back.

"We always were compliant with the government demands for everything to be documented, to have everything accounted for. There's nothing new in this.

"Everything that's done now is done with complete consent. As far as we're concerned we've got everything on our database, everything's been reported."

Mrs Kay added that, as a teaching hospital with a dedicated neurological department, it was to be expected that a substantial share of the 24,000 brains being stored nationally were in Southampton.

She said the hospital received some 1,500 calls from concerned families following the publication of the scandal and, of those, 85 cases were investigated.

Of those 85, 59 brains had been returned to families via funeral directors, four had been donated back to the hospital for research and 22 families were still deciding what action to take.

The remaining brains are still at the hospital awaiting direction from the Retained Organs Commission about their

disposal.

The Issacs Report, due to be published later today, was launched after Manchester widow Elaine Isaacs discovered that her husband Cyril's brain had been kept for research without her consent.

It is expected to investigate the way in which post-mortems are carried out and the current coroners' rules on retaining organs.

Policy officer for the charity MIND Alison Cobb said the organisation looked forward to seeing "some kind of openness" in the Isaacs Report.

Mrs Cobb, who said she had not yet seen the report, said: "We are not against research but this is something to be given, not taken, by people."

A spokesman for the National Committee relating to Organ Retention (NACOR) said much hurt could be avoided through a greater openness about organ retention.

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