A FORMER National Serviceman who was exposed to mustard gas at the Porton Down research centre has spoken of his anger at being used as a human guinea pig.

Austin Ellis, 64, from Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was a 20-year-old corporal when he volunteered to test what he thought was a cure for the common cold.

He was one of about 23,000 young soldiers who were allegedly exposed to nerve gas, CS gas, mustard gas and other toxic chemicals at the high-security base during the 1950s and 1960s.

One of the victims was North-East airman, Ronald Maddison, who died during secret nerve gas experiments.

Government-backed research is to be carried out to establish possible links between Porton Down and health problems experienced by the servicemen.

Mr Ellis was dabbed with liquid mustard gas and made to inhale CS gas during his one-week stay at the centre, in 1957.

The retired father-of-three is now in poor health after enduring two liver transplants and cancer surgery in recent years.

He would love to know whether his experiences at the top secret Government centre, in Wiltshire, contributed to his health problems in later life.

"Quite frankly, I feel quite sickened by what happened to me. Like many others, we were doing our bit as National Servicemen and they took advantage of us," he said.

"We thought we were helping to find a cure for the common cold, but they dropped mustard gas on my forearms and made me inhale CS gas," he said.

Mr Ellis now plans to contact ex-serviceman Ken Earls, who runs a support group for other former Porton Down inmates.

About 800 veterans have contacted the Ministry of Defence to complain that their helath has been damaged by the tests, but defence officials said no evidence of a link exists.

The research will compare the medical records of servicemen who willingly took part in the tests with their comrades who did not volunteer.

Scientists hope to establish whether there is a significant difference in rates of cancer, dementia and other illnesses.

"If we had known what they were up to we wouldn't have volunteered," said Mr Ellis, who was a member of the Royal Company of Signals 5 Training Regiment, based at Ripon, North Yorkshire.