The family of a Gulf War veteran have claimed an inquest failed to hear vital evidence into the cause of his death.

They believe that father-of-four John Douglas died as a result of so-called Gulf War Syndrome - after he was given a cocktail of drugs before being sent to Iraq in the early 1990s.

The 32-year-old died of liver failure in January this year and his family are angry that no evidence was heard at the inquest relating to the injections given by the army.

His partner of 17 years, Amanda Keenan, was adamant that Mr Douglas's medical records should have played a prominent part in the hearing at yesterday's inquest at Teesside Coroners' Court.

Speaking afterwards, Miss Keenan who lived with Mr Douglas in Cresswell Road, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, criticised the thoroughness of the investigation into his medical background.

She said: "He never really talked about his time in the army or the gulf war, but he was in and out of hospital with Hepatitis B during and after he left the army - he was never quite right after that.

"I can't understand why they only got his medical records going back a year or two. He was injected with anthrax and all kinds of diseases and chemicals, surely that should have been mentioned during the inquest.

"I couldn't believe that his full records were not used - to be honest I think there is something not right about that."

Mr Douglas, who served for five years in the Royal Artillery, was found in bed by his partner when she returned home from taking the children to school with froth coming out of his mouth on January 30. He died shortly afterwards.

His mum, Shirley Douglas said: "He was a great lad, he would do anything for anybody - everyone in Grangetown loved John. "He will be missed by everyone who knew him."

Pathologist Dr Adrienne Mutton told the inquest that post mortem results showed Mr Douglas was in good health with the only sign of illness being fatty residue in his liver.

Deputy Teesside Coroner Gordon Hetherington recorded a verdict of death by natural causes stating the liver damage was not a result of heavy drinking but most probably Mr Douglas' low tolerance to alcohol.

"It is always sad when a man of this age dies in a sudden and tragic way," he said.