AN independent inquiry will be launched into allegations of abuse and neglect at a North-East psychiatric unit.

The inquiry into Cherry Knowle Hospital, Ryhope, near Sunderland, follows the deaths of patients Keven Knowles and Paul Spence.

Yesterday, Priority Healthcare Wearside, which runs Cherry Knowle, confirmed a panel of independent health experts would be brought in to head the probe.

Chief executive Alan Hall said the trust understood how "serious and distressing" the incidents had been for all concerned.

On that basis, he had called for an independent review to see what lessons could be learned from the tragic cases.

Mr Spence, 36, fell to his death just hours after walking out of a ward at Cherry Knowle.

Mr Knowles, 29, suffered serious burns which led to his death 15 weeks ago.

The families of the two men have repeated their demands for a public inquiry into the hospital "at a national level".

They are planning to present a 2,000-name petition to the Department of Health, demanding the top-level investigation .

Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, whose constituency includes Cherry Knowle, has raised the case with Health Secretary Alan Milburn.

A spokeswoman for the NHS Executive said yesterday: "These are very serious matters and extremely distressing for the families concerned.

"Because of this, the NHS and Priority Healthcare Wearside are jointly commissioning an external review to look at standards of mental health care at Cherry Knowle Hospital.

"The panel will be made up of independent experts in mental health care, and the findings will be made public.