Pictured: Ashley Attwood (centre) with Doctor Grant Charlesworth Jones, GP advisor to Attwood Solicitors and Solicitor, John Farrow

Medical negligence specialists Attwood Solicitors have delivered a blunt message to breast implant clinics - help people with faulty PIP implants or face legal action.

More than 700 women have asked Stoke-on-Trent based Attwood Solicitors for advice on breast implant replacement in recent days.

And Principal Solicitor Ashley Attwood said: "The moral case is clear, these companies must act in the best interests of their patients.

"The companies have a duty to the women who they fitted with faulty silicon gel implants from the French company, PIP.

"It is not good enough to say we don't have the resources - they should carry the correct levels of insurance for the work they carry out.

"If they are saying that they are not fully insured then that is a major problem and the Government should investigate."

Attwood Solicitors has written an open letter to many leading breast surgey practitioners.

It states: "Over the last few days alone, we have been contacted by large numbers of concerned and distressed women who have learnt that they have been provided with breast implants from Poly i P by your clinic and others.

The Government has called on you to provide your ex-patients within free removal of these implants and we would ask that you go further and offer free replacement as well.

You will be aware that the vast majority of women seeking help from you have valid medical or psychological reasons for breast augmentation and for which they paid large sums of money. Therefore the refusal to provide treatment at this time, for free, will cause great psychological distress along side any physical harm they may suffer as a result of the delay. We believe you have both a legal responsibility and a moral duty to ensure that they receive the treatment they require as soon as possible.

There appears to be growing evidence to suggest that there have been grave concerns over the implants provided by PIP for several years, therefore we will expect you to provide evidence of due diligence in your continued use of these products.

It is our intention to represent our clients in their desired action against your clinic and to ensure that they receive fair financial redress for their inconvenience and distress. As such, your actions at this time will determine the level of public sympathy directed to your profession and also reflect the redress available to our clients.

We urge you to be sympathetic to our client's pleas at this difficult time and to consider their needs when deciding your approach to this crisis."