THE case of a North-East soldier who died in suspicious circumstances is still open two years after the inquiry was apparently completed, it has emerged.

The father of Private Geoff Gray has spoken of his amazement at the revelation from Surrey Police, which announced in September 2003 that no one was to be prosecuted over the deaths of four recruits at the Deepcut Army barracks.

Pte Gray, from Seaham, was found dead from two gunshot wounds to the head at the base in September 2001.

His father is convinced he was murdered and is calling for a public inquiry into the death, as well as those of Privates Sean Benton, Cheryl James and James Collinson, who died at the camp between 1995 and 2002.

At a press conference in 2003, the force announced that no file would be passed to the Crown Prosecution Service after what it then described as a "15-month-investigation".

However, the families of the soldiers were not given access to the police findings as they were being passed to a coroner.

But three-and-a-half years after the death of James Collinson, the most recent fatality, Surrey Coroner Michael Burgess has yet to name a date for an inquest.

The disclosure that the investigation was still ongoing came as Surrey Police refused to release a report on its handling of the case under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Devon and Cornwall force was called in during late 2003 to review the Surrey investigation after parents raised concerns over how it was handled.

But in response to a request for the release of the Devon and Cornwall report, completed almost a month ago, the Surrey force said the fact its investigation was still ongoing entitled it to an exemption from disclosing the contents of the report.

The force's information access manager, Dave Edmiston, said releasing the report could undermine a probe by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into Surrey Police's approach to the investigation.

And he said it could affect a behind-closed-doors review of the Deepcut deaths being carried out by Nicholas Blake QC.

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police confirmed the case was still being investigated, adding: "We are still pursuing certain lines of inquiry."

Last night, Pte Gray's father, also called Geoff Gray, described the statement as "quite bizarre".

Mr Gray said: "Everything has been passed on to the coroner. How can you still have an ongoing investigation if everything has been passed to the coroner?

"We had been told it was over and done with, there was no file going to the CPS, so how can it be ongoing?"

Another parent, Des James, who is preparing to mark the tenth anniversary of his daughter Cheryl's death, said the news that the investigation was ongoing came as a surprise.

He said: "My reaction is utter amazement because if there is any doubt at all about what was concluded, then what the hell was the point of the press conference about it?

"If their investigation wasn't over, what did Devon and Cornwall review exactly?

"In some ways it is quite insulting to us, we are treated as if we are stupid."

He added: "Devon and Cornwall have finished a review on what we now know was an incomplete investigation."

Linda Benton, mother of Sean Benton, said: "I thought it was all over with, apart from getting the Devon and Cornwall results and Nicholas Blake's review.

"I don't know what to say, I'm shocked."