Body tissue was almost certainly removed from workers at the atomic energy research establishment in Harwell until the early 1980s, the Government said yesterday.

Following the revelation earlier this month that tissue had been taken from 65 nuclear workers at Sellafield, in Cumbria, between 1962 and 1991, Trade and Industry Minister Alistair Darling has said a similar situation occurred at the Harwell plant near Didcot.

The plant was the UK's main centre for atomic energy research and development from the 1940s and the 1990s.

An inquiry into the removal of tissue from workers at Sellafied, which British Nuclear Power said was done for "legally correct" purposes, is under way.

Oxfordmail.net was told this morning that Harwell would feed into this investigation.

Mr Darling said: "The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) have begun to examine their records to identify if tests on autopsy tissues were carried out at any of the sites for which they are, or have been responsible, other than Sellafield.

"The UKAEA tell me they believe such work was carried out at Harwell - at least until the early 1980s - and possibly at other UKAEA sites, potentially involving work related to individuals who had not been employed at nuclear sites.

"The AWE believes there could have been additional testing on their employees."

* Do you know anyone who worked at Harwell before the early 1980s? If so call our newsdesk on 01865 425424 or email nqonews@nqo.com.