WATER contamination will be part of the forthcoming public inquiry into Glasgow and Edinburgh’s children’s hospitals, Jeane Freeman has confirmed.

The Health Secretary told MSPs she expected the inquiry to take evidence on the problem, which was recently blamed for at least one child death.

It emerged last week that 10-year-old Milly Main had died at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) after contracting an infection while recovering from leukaemia in August 2017.

Her mother, Kimberly Darroch, said she was sure infected water at the £842m hospital was to blame.

It also emerged at the weekend that police are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy - named by the Daily Record as Mason Djemat - just days later at the Glasgow site.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board says the water supply was not tested at the time Milly died.

Ms Freeman told Holyrood’s health committee she expected to announce who would lead the public inquiry into QEUH and Edinburgh's sick children's hospital before Christmas.

However she said it was not yet possible to say how long it would take or what it would cost as it would operate independently.