The cost of boob jobs, facelifts and tummy tucks could double within 12 months as a result of Britain’s booming ‘compensation culture’, industry insiders have claimed.

An increase in the number of ‘wholly inappropriate’ lawsuits has already driven up the price of some operations by as much as 10 per cent, according to an independent industry magazine.

But if the ‘litigation tidal wave’ continues, private surgeons could be forced to double their usual fees to cover the spiralling cost of legal insurance.

It means the cost of breast enlargement surgery would double from about £5,000 to £10,000, and facelifts would go from around £6,000 to £12,000.

The warnings were made by the website Cosmetic Surgery Today weeks after businesswoman Penny Johnson launched a £54million lawsuit against her surgeon for an alleged botched operation.