FORMER soldiers fighting for official recognition for their part in the 1950s Suez campaign could be offered a fresh glimmer of hope, it has emerged.

The Northern Echo reported on Friday how ex-serviceman Arnold Dunning, of Darlington, had been presented with a medal of honour by the Egyptian military.

The symbol of friendship was awarded to him decades after thousands of British troops oversaw the perilous operation, which preceded the Suez Crisis of 1956.

Sixty-thousand troops were plunged into a guerrilla war which saw Egyptian nationalists fighting against the British presence.

The emergency operation was aimed at keeping the Suez Canal open and protecting it against terrorists. About 300 soldiers lost their lives.

But despite being honoured by the people of Egypt, 68-year-old Mr Dunning and other former soldiers have yet to have their work recognised by the British Government.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar said last night that the campaign for recognition was continuing, despite the reluctance of the Ministry of Defence to issue a General Service Medal.

He said: "The difficulties we are facing are that generals inside the Ministry of Defence are not too keen on giving these medals out.

"But the campaign is alive and well in all parties and maybe, in the future, there will be a positive outcome.

"All parties are vigorously behind ensuring full recognition for these war veterans."

Previous requests for medals have been snubbed, but the matter will be raised in the House of Commons again in the near future.

Dr Kumar said MPs would not give up on the campaign for recognition.

He said: "But the MoD is generally very difficult to persuade to do anything outside what they have been used to.

"They are very conservative in their nature."

Service medals are not normally considered five years after a conflict, but campaigners say that, as no honour was considered at the time, one could be issued now.