A DISGRACED surgeon was last night thrown out of the medical profession, following a series of blunders during hysterectomy and circumcision operations.

Peter Silverstone, 58, left two baby boys in agony after failing to anaesthetise them properly, the General Medical Council (GMC) heard.

He also endangered the safety of two women by inappropriately leaving them in the care of nurses following surgery.

Silverstone, of Elmfield Park, Newcaslte, denied any wrongdoing, claiming the women were private patients and procedures were different for them.

But he was found guilty of serious professional misconduct and struck off the medical register.

Conduct committee chairman Dr Jo Trowel said Silverstone had acted inadequately and irresponsibly after performing the hysterectomies, because both women suffered life-threatening blood loss and he was not there to treat them.

Dr Trowel said: "You fell seriously short of the standard expected. One woman was left without appropriate medical care for almost six hours."

The GMC heard Silverstone performed circumcisions on boys aged six months and seven months at a surgery in Dipton, Tyne and Wear, in 1998.

The two hysterectomies he performed, in November 1995 and November 1998, were at the BUPA hospital in Picktree Lane, Rickleton, Washington, Wearside.

Silverstone was found to have abused his professional position in relation to the circumcisions, and to have acted inappropriately and incompetently.

It was ruled that treatment of both women was inadequate and irresponsible.

Silverstone has since retired from gynaecological surgery.

His last job was assessing incapacity benefit claims, in Burnley.

The shamed surgeon looked disinterested and shuffled his feet as the judgement was given.