A MUCH-delayed inquest into the death of a young woman three years ago after a routine operation will take place in the autumn.

Elaine Basham, from Loftus, east Cleveland, was 33 when surgery to remove her tonsils ended in tragedy, in November 2001.

A jury inquest into her death will open in Middlesbrough, on September 19, after cancellations in February and this month.

The operation at the now closed North Riding Infirmary, in Middlesbrough, involved controversial disposable surgical instruments incorporating a heating element.

The instruments were brought in by the Department of Health amid fears that re-usable steel surgical instruments might spread the human form of mad cow disease.

After Miss Basham's death and reports of problems with the disposable equipment, surgeons in England and Wales were told to go back to using the re-usable type.

Because of concerns about public safety, the inquest into Miss Basham's death will be held before a jury.

It is expected that the outcome of the inquest will shed light on whether the Government's medical advisors were right to tell surgeons to use largely unproven disposable instruments.

The inquest has been postponed a number of times.

The last cancellation was earlier this month, a few weeks before the inquiry was due to begin. It is understood a key witness would not have been available.

At the time of the last delay, the family's solicitor, Richard Follis, of law firm Alexander Harris, said: "The family continues to suffer enormously. They have grave concerns surrounding Elaine's death, which will continue until the inquest addresses them.

While the disposable instruments are not widely used in English hospitals, checks by The Northern Echo showed that they are still in use in Scotland and Northern Ireland.