POLICE investigating the death of a North-East serviceman who took part in tests at Porton Down germ warfare base have been given a Govern-ment grant to aid their work.
Last year, Wiltshire Constabulary and officers on secondment from the Ministry of Defence Police began looking into the case of Ronald Maddison, a 20-year-old airman from Consett who died at the base in the early 1950s after a quantity of the nerve agent Sarin was dripped onto his uniform.
The investigation has since been widened to cover 45 cases alleging that servicemen were used as guinea pigs at the top secret base.
Wiltshire Chief Constable Elizabeth Neville, who requested the extra cash, said the further £870,000 to pay for the huge investigation was "extremely welcome, recognising, as it does, the unique nature of this inquiry".
Porton Down, founded in 1916 and home of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, is one of the most secure MoD bases in Britain
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