Suggestions that North-East hospitals bosses have enjoyed large above pay increases have been denied by NHS trusts.

A new report earlier this week suggested that changes in the way NHS chief executives' salaries are disclosed could conceal large increases.

Research by Income Data Services has shown that the fudging of official figures means that almost a quarter of UK trust chief executives could have received huge 20 per cent pay rises last year.

But North-East trusts insisted that chief executives received increases in line with the national pay review body which covers all NHS staff.

Liz Twist, Northern regional secretary of the health union Unison, said: "We are in favour of salaries that recognise responsibilities of the job, but pay rises need to be transparent."

A spokeswoman for the County Durham and Darlington Hospitals trust said chief executive John Saxby earns £125,000 per annum.

Before his appointment to the new post last year his previous salary saw annual increases in line with inflation, she added.

Len Fenwick chief executive of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust could not be contacted about his salary.

A spokeswoman for the Newcastle Hospitals trust said Mr Fenwick's annual salary increase had been in line with inflation.

The research showed that the number of chief executives earning £100,000 or more increased to a third last year.

While the average salary for bosses in the Northern and Yorkshire is £107,500, compared to £98,000 in London an IDS spokesman said the higher figure probably reflected the fact that many big Northern hospitals covered large areas. . .