BABIES born with skull deformities will no longer be able to have corrective surgery in the North-East.

The withdrawal of the service means families will now have to travel as far as Liverpool, Glasgow or London.

The changes follow the appointment of North-East surgeon Professor Brian Avery to a national post with the Royal College of Surgeons.

Prof Avery is going part-time at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, to become dean of the faculty of dental surgery. The move means he will no longer carry out major craniofacial surgery on Teesside.

Over the last 18 years, he and his neuro-surgeon colleague Sid Marks have performed cosmetic surgery on hundreds of children and assessed hundreds more.

This can involve reconstruction of the bones of the skull, a process Prof Avery calls "bone carpentry".

Naomi Stones, from Darlington, whose six-year-old son, Cian, had corrective surgery, said: "It is a real shame. We need a service like this in the North-East."

Colin Edge, a clinical director at the hospital, said: "While it is regrettable this service is no longer offered locally, the care and safety of patients is paramount and it is important these children go where the full range of expertise is provided."

However, patients who have had surgery or are under review will continue to be seen at James Cook.

Prof Avery, 58, will use his position to voice fears that EU rules on restricting working hours could mean consultants being appointed with only a fraction of the experience of current surgeons