THE family of a North-East airman who died during secret Government chemical experiments, have welcomed the reopening of an inquest into his death after almost 50 years.

The move comes after years of campaigning by servicemen who claim they were duped into believing highly dangerous chemical tests at Porton Down were in fact part of experiments into curing the common cold.

The Attorney General has given permission for the case of 20-year-old Ronald Maddison, from Consett, in County Durham, to be reviewed after he was allegedly exposed to a 200mg dose of sarin nerve gas in May 1953. The original inquest was held in secret.

Mr Maddison's sister, Lillias Craik, who now lives in Nottinghamshire, said the move was a step towards the truth.

She said: "I had my first great-grandchild yesterday, which is the latest lovely thing that has happened in my long life. All that was denied to Ron.

"We are delighted this has happened and, you never know, we might finally get the truth, but I have to say that this has taken a long, long time and you wonder whether we will ever get there."

Wiltshire Police have launched an investigation into the claims that hundreds of other individuals were exposed to toxic nerve gases and diseases including plague.

Campaigner Gordon Bell said: "The police have indicated that there were a high number of deaths evident when they began their inquiries. When you think about what they were doing to people in these nerve gas tests it's only to be expected."

Mr Bell said campaigners were in the process of legal action to overturn a bar on survivors of the tests suing the Ministry of Defence.