Women who have had the best-selling silicone implant made by a French firm are being warned that their breasts may explode causing life-threatening illness.

The implants made by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), are thought to be twice as likely to rupture as other implants and have been withdrawn from sale in France.

In the UK, the government’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has also banned cosmetic surgeons from using them. The health watchdog warns that they could cause gangrene or toxic shock syndrome if they rupture.

In France it was discovered that the implants have been filled with a silicone gel with a composition different from that approved since 2001 and may not be safe.

The UK’s MHRA, said that patients who have had these implants should contact their surgeon.

Most of the implants made by PIP were exported, to an estimated 66 countries and were popular because they are cheaper than others on offer.