A leading Oxford surgeon has welcomed a Government decision to stop using disposable equipment which was introduced to combat the human form of BSE.

The forceps, used in tonsil surgery, were introduced because there was a theoretical risk of catching the disease.

But since being introduced, the equipment has been implicated in the deaths of a 33-year-old woman and two-year-old boy. Hundreds of others have been injured.

The Department of Health has now asked surgeons to use traditional equipment and an inquiry is underway.

Grant Bates, the head of Britain's ear, nose and throat surgeons and a surgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, said surgeons were relieved.

He said: "The forceps were too thick. The vast majority of us said 'thank God', and sighed with relief, to be back with proper quality instruments.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Following reports of increased adverse incidents, the Medical Devices Agency issued a hazard notice in October advising surgeons on how to use the single-use diathermy forceps.

"Despite these measures, one patient died in November after tonsil surgery.

"The Department of Health suspended the use of single-use diathermy forceps on November 4, and following further inquiries the Department announced the reintroduction of re-usable instruments on December 18."

The spokesman said an investigation of tonsillectomies had been carried out.