GEOFF Hoon yesterday castigated a press report of allegations that British troops mutilated the bodies of Iraqi fighters following a fierce firefight between Iraqi militia and soldiers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed military police were looking into the claims outlined in the Guardian yesterday. But during defence questions in the Commons, the defence secretary told Paul Keetch, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, who raised the issue: ''I read the story in some detail across two pages and I hope he would accept from me that the headline in the story could just as easily have been 'More false allegations against British troops' because the detail of the story did not bear out the rather lurid headline the Guardian editor chose to adopt.''

The headline read: 'UK troops accused of mutilating Iraqi bodies.' The strapline below added: 'Death certificates by Iraqi doctor claim evidence of torture.'

Mr Hoon went on: ''These kinds of issues are arising on a regular basis, but I certainly give the house and him my assurance that each of them involving British troops will be thoroughly investigated.''

The allegations involve Iraqi fighters who were killed during a skirmish near the town of Majar al Kabir last month and appeared in death certificates written by Dr Adel Salid Majid, director of the town's hospital, the day after the May 15

firefight.

Dr Majid claimed some of the 22 corpses handed over to the hospital by British troops showed signs of mutilation and torture, reported the paper, which had seen the certificates.

However, his assessment was challenged by another senior Iraqi doctor who saw one of the dead men at Amara general hospital, where the bodies were first taken. He argued the wounds he saw were consistent with a fierce gun battle.

An incensed British Army spokesman in Basra branded the allegations as ''absurd''.