The parents of a dead North-East soldier marked what would have been his 19th birthday by calling on MPs to back their campaign for a public inquiry.

Private Geoff Gray, of Seaham, County Durham, is one of four young soldiers whose deaths at the Army's Deepcut Barracks in Surrey is being investigated by police.

In a letter sent to all 659 MPs, his parents call on politicians of all parties to back a public inquiry.

Diane and Geoff Gray, who now live in Hackney, east London, said: ''Today would have been his (Geoff's) 19th birthday.

''Instead of celebrating his birthday, we are sending letters to MPs so that we can find out exactly what happened to him.''

In a reference to recent claims by some of the families that their homes are being bugged, they add: ''Instead of going out for a pint with him, I will be arranging with the police for our house to be swept for listening devices.

''Our world has turned upside down. Why can't someone just tell us the truth?''

The Gray family are backed by other soldiers' relatives in demanding a public inquiry into the mysterious deaths.

They urge MPs to sign up to an Early Day Motion backing them. So far more than 94 MPs have added their names.

Relatives believe the soldiers were murdered, while the Ministry of Defence insists the deaths were suicides.

Pte Gray, then 17; Pte Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings, East Sussex; Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth, and Pte Cheryl James, from Llangollen, north Wales, all died from gunshot wounds at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.