Two British men who underwent a penis enlargement operation, may have been suffering from a condition that made them believe they had small genitals, the General Medical Council has heard.

The hearing in Manchester was told the condition - a type of body dysmorphia - gives men the impression that their penis is smaller than it really is.

An expert claimed Mr A and Mr B should never have undergone the £3,000 procedure, carried out by Dr Ravi Kant Agarwal.

Each had a penis enlargement operation in 1997, which left them smaller and lumpy. Mr Agarwal, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, denies serious professional misconduct.

Dr David Ralph said the procedure the men underwent could never have worked as they were promised.

He also told the GMC that if patients are made aware of the possible complications - which are well-known - they are unlikely to give consent.

Dr Ralph told the hearing that, according to Dr Agarwal's notes, each man had a penis size of six inches. He said the average size of a penis is five inches.

Both Mr A and Mr B may have suffered from a type of body dysmorphia and they should never have been operated on, said Dr Ralph.

He added: "People can suffer from dysmorphic conditions and patients are never happy."

David Enoch, counsel for the GMC, asked: "Is there any element of truth in suggesting the penis can gain three inches?" Dr Ralph replied: "No, there's none whatsoever."