SCIENTISTS in the North-East are claiming a joint UK first after growing a colony of stem cells extracted from human embryos.

Last night's momentous announcement in Newcastle came within hours of a similar claim by a rival team from King's College, London.

But officials at Newcastle's Centre for Life insist they got there first.

Regardless of the competing claims, the production of stem cells capable of reproducing themselves under laboratory conditions marks the beginning of a new chapter of UK research.

It is also a stunning triumph for North-East science, demonstrating that the Centre for Life has world class experts capable of groundbreaking research.

Within a few years, the breakthrough at the two centres could lead to revolutionary treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's Disease and debilitating spinal injuries.

Ultimately, it could allow man to "grow" a variety of replacement human organs.

Stem cells are master cells with the ability to develop into different kinds of tissue.

Stimulated by the right chemicals, they could theoretically be turned into brain neurons, heart muscle, bone, or insulin-producing pancreatic cells.

Yesterday, it was announced that a team of scientists led by Dr Stephen Minger at King's College produced three stem cell populations from a total of 58 embryos.

Alastair Balls, chief executive of the Centre for Life, said the Newcastle scientists produced viable stem cells in March but held back from making a public announcement until the results of tests were known.

"This must be one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the past decade and is a huge boost for North-East research," he said.

The team was led by Professor Tom Strachan, of Newcastle University's Institute of Human Genetics, and Prof Alison Murdoch, of the Newcastle NHS Trust's Fertility Centre, working with Dr Miodrag Stojkovic and Dr Majlinda Lako. The embryology team is headed by Dr Mary Herbert.

The project is part of the wider work of the Northern Genetics Knowledge Park, which is under the directorship of Prof John Burn.

But the research was condemned by Prof Jack Scarisbrick, chairman of the anti-abortion group Life, who said it was a first step towards human cloning.

"As soon as they've done this with surplus embryos, they will want to do it with cloned human beings," he said.