AN Iraqi woman who suffered horrific burns during the war in her homeland has been flown to a North-East hospital for treatment.

The woman is being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), in Newcastle, as part of a £20m Department of Health scheme to give specialist care to civilian victims of the Iraq conflict.

She was airlifted to hospital on a life support machine after suffering 60 per cent burns.

Three beds at the RVI have been set aside for Iraqis, although if they are not taken up British patients will still be able to use them.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said that, as an occupying country in Iraq, Britain was duty-bound under the Geneva Convention to provide medical help.

She said: "Most of the treatment will happen in Iraq, but with some specialist services it could be we have to bring them to the UK, especially burns victims.

"We need to meet the needs of the Geneva Convention and also make sure local services can continue to cater for local people.

"The beds won't stay empty if there are no Iraqis. They will be used for other patients with burns.

"The scheme is up and running already. So far, there is one Iraqi in the RVI getting treatment for burns."

The RVI is one of three hospitals around the country to be selected for the treatment programme, which will provide a total of ten beds specifically for Iraqis.

The Department of Health is spending £20m over two years to provide beds at the RVI, Withenshawe Hospital, in Manchester, and the Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex.

The extra beds will be in the burns unit at the hospitals and extra staff will also be taken on.

The Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The people will be seen by doctors out there first and they will be assessing how serious the injury is. They will also be looking at whether they can be treated out there.

"Only serious cases that really need the specialist treatment we can offer will be brought to this country."

The spokeswoman added that families of the Iraqis requiring treatment will accompany them to Britain. No Iraqis who have come to Britain have asked for asylum.

Newcastle Hospitals Trust declined to comment.