Some of Kieran Peers' remains were retained

The parents of six-year-old Kieran Peers from Deganwy, near Conwy, who died unexpectedly in Liverpool Children's Hospital in March 2000, were initially told that all his organs had been returned to their son's body after a coroner's post mortem examination.

"I said I want everything putting back once he's had his post mortem, anything that doesn't need to be kept, like small tissue samples for histology - they explained all that to me, " said Mike Peers, the boy's father.

At first Mr Peers and his wife Sally received assurances in writing that all their son's organs had been put back.

But last month, they were told that "substantial" material - including his organs - were kept after the post mortem examination ordered by the coroner and carried out at Alder Hey by the hospital's pathologist.

The hospital has repeated its assurances, arguing that coroners' post mortem examinations are different and may need to keep organs.

The family received written assurances

It said that in coroners' post mortem examinations, organs are removed so tiny slivers can be taken from them for blocks and slides, and what is left over is often kept.

But the Peers' solicitor, Ian Cohen, said nothing was supposed to be retained without the parents' knowledge.

"Whatever reason, whatever explanation is given, is irrelevant as far as the family is concerned, " he said.

"They gave explicit consent for samples to be taken on condition that the brain and other tissues and organs would be reunited with the body. And that hasn't occurred here."

According to the exclusive BBC investigation, another 34 families have had material secretly kept from their children's bodies without their knowledge.

Professor van Velzen: Took organs with consent

Not all of them were coroners' post mortem examinations - some were carried out by Alder Hey with no coroner's involvement.

Kelly and Jan Valentine campaigned for years to prevent organ retention, after organs from their baby daughter Kayleigh were removed and stored at Alder Hey.

The couple, who live near Wrexham, said they were upset to hear of the case of the Peers and the parents of 29 other children

"We feel very sorry for these parents, my heart goes out to them.

"Your child is the greatest gift you can have and whether they are dead or alive, you do not want them touched, but they still went ahead and did it."

These latest happenings are not believed on the same scale as the scandal of caused by Professor Dick van Velzen.

The disgraced pathologist at the centre of the Alder Hey organ scandal was responsible for stripping thousands of children's bodies of organs without their parents' consent.

But parents argue the issue of informed consent is still central.

"It's not so much what the hospital, what the coroner, what the medical profession understand the situation to be - it is what is understood by the individuals giving the consent - the parents," said Mr Cohen.