Bosses at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee said they deeply regretted the mix-up which resulted in the wrong child being buried at a cemetery in the city.

A fortnight after the orginal funeral, the couple had to get an exhumation order before burying Stevie Baxter.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: "We deeply regret this situation and give sincere apologies for the pain and anguish it has caused to the parents.

Procedures 'strengthened'

"The mortuary has sound procedures in place, but after a full investigation it has been shown that these were not followed on this occasion.

"Procedures have now been reviewed and strengthened," she added.

The couple have now launched legal proceedings against the hospital.

Earlier, the mother of the stillborn child told the Daily Record newspaper how two weeks after a funeral service for Stevie, she and the child's father Ian Baxter were back at the cemetery for another burial.

Exhumation order

Tammy Thomson said she was forced to get an exhumation order to recover the body buried in error before she could lay Stevie to rest.

Ms Thomson told the newspaper she was then asked to keep quiet about the incident.

"I was warned I might scare other mums," she said.

She said she decided to go public after hearing about the death of another baby at the hospital.

She added: "I felt badly neglected when Stevie was delivered and he was dead.