A FRESH inquest into the death of a Swindon airman who died 50 years ago is to be discussed at a pre-inquest review later this month.

Ronald Maddison, a 20-year-old RAF engineer, died at the Ministry of Defence's Porton Down laboratories on Salisbury Plain in May of 1953.

However, Swindon coroner David Masters has announced the special meeting, which will decide when the inquest proper is to be reopened, will take place on May 21.

Lord Woolf, the Lord Chief Justice, quashed the original verdict of misadventure last year, in what he described as an exceptional case.

Mr Maddison died after he was allegedly given a 200mg dose of sarin nerve gas during secret military tests.

It is claimed he was among scores of servicemen who say they thought they were part of an experiment to find a cure for the common cold, but who insist they were exposed instead to substances including poison gas and hallucinogens.

Police are currently investigating hundreds of cases in which people claim they were used as guinea pigs in germ warfare experiments at the Chemical Biological Defence Establishment.

The inquest is viewed as a test case, which campaigning families believe could lead to criminal proceedings against those responsible.