´óÏó´«Ã½

In the 1950's, many thousands of servicemen were sent to the South Pacific and Indian oceans, where they witnessed Britain's nuclear testing programme nuclear bombs.

Many of these men later developed serious, sometimes fatal, health problems which they and their families believe are due to radiation exposure during those tests.

Now Britain's nuclear test veterans are taking on the government in the hope of challenging their argument that they are out of time for claiming compensation.

They believe the government was grossly negligent in allowing them to be exposed to the atmospheric tests - an international ban on which was imposed in 1958 - and hope to launch a class action for compensation later this year.

Other countries - Australia, France, America, even the Isle of Man and Channel Islands - have acknowledged that their veterans were exposed to radiation.

Some have already compensated them. So why not Britain?

The nuclear veterans' solicitor accuses the government of hyprocrisy and a "disingenuous" attitude to the veterans; one Welsh Labour MP agrees and says the government has let down these men who served their country.