The donor organs were able to be used in a transplant operation

UK Transplant, which deals with organ donations, admits a mistake was made - but stressed it was quickly corrected.

The kidney was taken from a dead person, who was signed up as a donor, in an operation at a Newcastle Hospital on Wednesday night.

The organ should then have been flown to Belfast, but officials were alerted when it turned up in Paris.

The kidney, which must be used for transplant within 30 hours, was then put on another flight for Belfast.

A spokesman for UK Transplant said the organ reached the intended destination in time for the transplant operation to be carried out.

We are deeply distressed and concerned for the donor family Sandra Latimer, Freeman Hospital

But the spokesman said a full investigation had begun into the affair.

He said: "We will be asking our contractors, Transport for Transplants, for a full report into this case.

"All organs need to be transported as quickly as possible to prevent them becoming unsuitable, and to have the best chance of a successful outcome for patients.

"The amount of time that an organ can exist out of a body is limited, but kidneys have 30 hours before they become unsuitable.

Awaiting investigation

"The kidney in question arrived at its intended destination within this time constraint."

Sandra Latimer, transplant coordinator at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, said: "We were not informed about the incident.

"We are deeply distressed and concerned for the donor family.

"We have been in touch with UK Transplant and are awaiting their investigation".

More than 5,700 people in the UK are waiting for a transplant, but just under 2,800 are carried out each year.

Immediate investigation

Almost 400 people each year die while waiting for a suitable organ to be donated and many others die before joining the waiting list.

In a statement, Servisair, a ground services company at Newcastle Airport, said: "Servisair regrets that a donor kidney that should have been placed on a Newcastle to Belfast City flight this morning was mistakenly placed on a Newcastle to Paris flight.

"As soon as the error was realised, Servisair contacted the airline FlyBE who arranged a special flight to be made direct from Paris to Belfast to deliver the kidney, which was collected safely by hospital staff on arrival.

"Servisair thanks the management and staff of FlyBE for their prompt action in this matter.