POLICE were expected to exhume the body of a middle-aged man early this morning as part of an investigation into a North-East GP.

The body is the youngest of three men whose deaths are being treated as suspicious by detectives investigating Dr Howard Martin.

A team of police officers, crime scene investigators and support staff were expected to carry out the exhumation at Shildon Cemetery, in County Durham, during the night using a large military tent and a generator for lighting.

The body of the man, who died in spring 2003, is to be taken to Bishop Auckland General Hospital, County Durham, where a post-mortem examination is scheduled to be carried out by Home Office Pathologist Dr Mark Egan today.

The close family of the man, who has not been named, have been kept informed of the police operation and are fully supportive of the action being taken, detectives said.

The bodies of two pensioners were exhumed from cemeteries in South Church, near Bishop Auckland, and Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, last week.

Police are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to find out how they died.

South Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle granted the warrants for the exhumations at the three cemeteries just over a week ago.

In the case of one of the exhumations, special authorisation has been granted by the Bishop of Durham because the body lay in consecrated ground.

Dr Martin, who had practices in Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Eldon Lane, has not been charged with anything in relation to the deaths of the three men and has not been questioned.

The 70-year-old was arrested at his Newton Aycliffe practice at Cobblers Hall on May 10 last year, after concerns were raised by the family of Harry Gittins, of Newton Aycliffe, who died last January.

High levels of the drug diamorphine were found in Mr Gittens' body when it was exhumed in February.

In August, Dr Martin was charged with Mr Gittins's murder.

He denies the charge and is on bail awaiting trial, which is due to start in March at Teesside Crown Court. He has been suspended by the General Medical Council pending the outcome of the case.

Records of his patients dating back two years have been scrutinised by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust, which felt there were questions that needed to be answered following the deaths of three more men. Files were then passed to police.

At a Press conference last week, Detective Chief Superintendent Harry Stephenson, who is leading the case, said he could not rule out further investigations into the deaths of other patients treated by Dr Martin.

One of the bodies exhumed last week was that of 74-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer Stanley Weldon, of Coundon Grange, County Durham, who died in March 2003.

Sedgefield Primary Care Trust has made a phone number available to families of patients of Dr Martin who may have concerns.

A trust spokesman said: "We have had less than 15 calls since the information line was first published and that is now tapering off. However, the line is still available should anyone have any concerns.''

The number can be contacted on 0191-301 3820.