THE Swanley couple whose baby's body disappeared from Queen Mary's Hospital and ended up in a laundry could expect up to £25,000 in compensation.

Hospital chiefs have not yet heard whether Patrick Kelly, 36, and Amaia Fernandez, 25, of Morello Close, are going to sue over what happened to their deceased son James.

Top clinical negligence lawyer Lesley Herbertson of Alexander Harris Solicitors, Manchester, said similar medical negligence cases have fetched between £20,000 and £25,000.

Baby James died soon after being born 17 weeks premature and his body was taken to the mortuary at the Sidcup hospital on November 26 last year. On December 12, undertakers arriving to collect his body discovered it missing and police traced it to a laundry in Brixton where it had gone through a 95-degree boil wash.

A hospital report into the tragedy, revealed it was likely the baby's body had been accidentally left on the floor in a shroud before it was mistaken for a dirty sheet and put into a nearby linen basket.

Chief executive of Queen Mary's Hospital Helen Moffatt said the incident was a "one-off, tragic mistake" and new mortuary procedures were put in place straightaway.

"I have offered my unreserved apologies to the family for what happened. A full internal inquiry was instigated immediately and I have been down to the mortuary to make sure changes are made."

A mortuary worker was suspended when the tragic events were revealed but has since returned to the mortuary under "close supervision".

Ms Moffatt explained the linen basket was moved away from where the bodies are kept.

The babies' bodies are now kept in a special cabinet and are never allowed to be put on the floor.

Further improvements are to be made including more training and development for mortuary staff, improved organisation in the mortuary and refurbishment.