TWO local women caught up in the retained organs scandal are appealing for others in the same situation to come forward.

Rebecca Brier and Tracey Grisedale discovered earlier this year that their children's organs may have been retained by the health service.

They now hope that other families will get in touch with them in the hope of setting up a support group and getting answers from the Home Office investigators and local health chiefs.

The authority revealed in January that children's organs had been retained, and Rebecca learnt from a telephone hotline that her daughter, Samantha, who died in November 1987, may have been one of the children involved.

The report comes after the scandal which engulfed the Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool earlier this year.

Rebecca told the Citizen: "We have been told by Morecambe Bay Health Authority that five families in this area are involved. We want the other families to come together so we can put together a support group and, hopefully, see if we can put some pressure on the authorities to give us some answers.

"I phoned the telephone helpline in January when the reports came out and said that Morecambe Bay Health Authority had got cases.

"I'm now waiting for the Home Office pathologist to complete his investigation, but I also want to talk to other parents."

Any parents who are in the same situation are asked to contact Rebecca on 07780 801610.