The sister of an RAF Lyneham serviceman who was killed in Iraq in 2005 has stepped up her campaign to find out how her brother died.

Sarah Chapman, who lives in Cambridge, lost her brother Sergeant Robert O'Connor when his Hercules crashed in Iraq.

Ten men were killed in the crash - eight of whom were based at RAF Lyneham.

The families of the ten servicemen have waited an agonising two years and eight months to hear details of their family members' deaths at an inquest.

The families are now looking for answers after the news from the Wiltshire coroner that a date for the hearing has still not been set.

This comes despite being told in January that the inquest would be around September.

Mrs Chapman said: "I am incensed at how long it is taking to find out the details of how my brother died.

"The grieving process cannot be completed until the inquest process has been and in today's society is it really acceptable that families are left to wait until such questions are answered?"

Wiltshire took over the task of dealing with military inquests from Oxfordshire coroners in April.

North Wiltshire MP James Gray has several times asked for extra funding for the Wiltshire coroners office in The House of Commons.

He said: "These guys are giving their lives for the nation and to keep the families waiting is outrageous.

"There is still quite a backlog. It gets bigger every day. Extra funding is needed today."

Wiltshire coroner David Masters said he has been having meetings with Jack Straw and the Ministry of Justice to try to arrange extra funding.

He said: "I recognise that there is a delay because of funding but there is a considerable amount of work being done.

"I wanted to assure the families that I am trying to bring it to a conclusion.

"At the next pre-inquest review I will fix a date for the inquest itself but I am waiting on the MoD to say when that can be."

This has led families to ask why there is not a separate military inquest service.

Mrs Chapman said: "Military inquests should be dealt with by separate bodies. A growing swell of people are asking questions."

Mrs Chapman is now concerned that the wait for the inquest will hit the three-year point.

She said: "If that happens then I start to shout and jump up and down.

"I will let everyone know how damaging the Government is and how disrespectful it is to the welfare of military families.

"We are all finding it extremely frustrating to be in a state of limbo.

"I think the Government is to blame. Some information is not allowed into the public domain because of security but I have every faith in David Masters."

Sgt O'Connor, who was know as Bob by his friends and family, was part of the RAF's 47 Squadron, which supports the Special Forces.

The 38-year-old lived in Lyneham and had founded the Swindon branch of the Youth (ten-pin) Bowling Club in 1990 with his partner Col Knight whom he was due to marry on his return from Iraq.