THE parents of a North-East soldier shot dead while patrolling his barracks are to take their fight for a public inquiry to the highest democratic authority in the land.

Private Geoff Gray, born in Seaham, County Durham, was just 17 when he was killed while on guard duty at the Royal Logistics Corps HQ at Queen Elizabeth Barracks Surrey in September, last year.

His father, also called Geoff, and mother, Diane, said the Army suggested privately that he committed suicide but an inquest into his death recorded an open verdict.

Woking coroner Michael Burgess said at the time: ''I do not find that he took his own life.''

Mr Gray, of east London, said he will lobby every MP by letter calling for support for an independent public inquiry to be held into their son's death.

Their action has gathered greater urgency and poignancy, they said, because a second teenage soldier, James Collinson from Perth, was discovered with a single gunshot wound to the head while on guard duty at the same barracks where Pte Gray lost his life last month.

Mr Gray, who originally comes from the North-East, said: ''I honestly believe someone murdered my son. The inquest said he didn't commit suicide and medical evidence proved he cannot have killed himself.

''There was a bullet hole above his left eyebrow and one above his right. ''Somewhere out there a killer is at large. This person cannot get away with this, they have to be caught.

''I believe that only a public inquiry will prove that someone had to have killed my son and I want politicians to be aware of this fact.''

The House of Commons will not be sitting today but Mr Gray will personally be at St Stephen's Gate at 2pm to deliver the letters.

An Army spokesman said that until an inquest had been held into Pte Collinson's death, no immediate action would be taken.

Two separate boards of inquiry will be held by military personnel subsequent to that inquest.

The spokesman said: ''We will look into both deaths after that inquest.''