THE grieving parents of a soldier shot dead in Bosnia seven years ago are demanding a new inquiry into his death, amid fears that he may have been unlawfully killed.

Private Dale Little, 19, a member of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Tomislavgard in Central Bosnia, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in July 1995.

Although Army officials informed Pte Little's family that he had committed suicide, his parents, Barbara and Jim, strongly deny that their son could have taken his own life.

The couple, of Stanley, County Durham, believe that the father-of-one may have been unlawfully killed, or as the result of an accident, while he was stationed at the base, as part of the United Nations peace-keeping force.

Along with the parents of four soldiers who died in mysterious circumstances at the Royal Logistic Corps headquarters, in Deepcut, Surrey, they plan to lobby the Government into looking into all non-natural deaths at Army bases.

The parents of Pte Geoff Gray, who was found dead with two gunshot wounds to the head at Deepcut last year, are spearheading a campaign for answers, believing that they have stumbled upon an Army cover-up.

Pte Little's parents approached the Grays, formerly of Seaham, County Durham, after reports of the Deepcut deaths brought back painful memories.

Speaking for the first time about their son's death, the Littles told The Northern Echo they would not rest until they knew what really happened that night.

Speaking from the family home last night, Mr Little, 47, said: "There was no evidence that he wanted to commit suicide. Dale had good sense of humour and was in good spirits the night that he died. He never had any problems over in Bosnia. All he could live for was the Army.

"When the police came to inform us of his death, it was a complete shock but they had no details of his death.

"The next day two Army representatives came to see us and said that Dale had been shot and looked like he had done it himself. We could not believe it."

Pte Little, who has a son, Jordan, now aged nine, had been drinking with his friend, Private Derek Robb, at the base on the night he died.

At about 1am, the pair were spotted on a platform at the top of the boiler house chimney having a cigarette. Two officers told them to come down and go to bed. Pte Robb made his way to bed but Pte Little asked to go to the toilet.

At 1.18am gunshots were heard and minutes later officers found the soldier in a toilet cubicle with a gunshot wound to the head. At 2.08am he was certified dead.

Soldiers who had seen Pte Little that night said he had been in good humour and there was no indication he wanted to harm himself.

Two days after he was found, Dale's girlfriend, Catherine, now 27, received a letter from him. It gave no indication that he was unhappy.

At his inquest, which was held in private, the coroner, recorded an open verdict, unable to conclude that he had taken his own life.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence was unable to confirm last night who had investigated Pte Little's death.