A POLICE investigation into the deaths of four young recruits at the Deepcut Army barracks has come in for sharp criticism by another force, a report is expected to show today.

A review of the £1m Surrey Police reinvestigation is thought to conclude that there were problems with the police's mindset, a lack of focus, and that national guidelines were not followed.

An internal police document is also believed to show that discussions were under way over how to steer public opinion away from the view that the four recruits had been murdered rather than committing suicide.

Private Geoff Gray, from Seaham, was one of four recruits found dead from gunshot wounds at the camp in Surrey between 1995 and 2002.

The others were Ptes Sean Benton, Cheryl James and James Collinson.

By September 2003, the force formally announced that no one was to be prosecuted over the matter, but no details of the extensive findings on the circumstances of the deaths have been released to the public.

Devon and Cornwall Police were called in late in 2003 to review the Surrey force's handling of the investigation.

While the deaths were widely explained as apparent suicides, some of the families fear that their children could have been murdered at the garrison.

The Devon and Cornwall report was completed two months ago and a three-page summary of the original 100-plus page report is expected to be released today.

It is thought to highlight a problem with the mindset of the investigation, and accuse senior officers of lacking focus at the start of the probe.

One source added: ''There was an internal document from March 2003 which said that Surrey Police should now be making the public think more along the lines that it was a suicide and should turn the heat up on the Army.''

Responding to the leaked findings, Pte Gray's father, also named Geoff, said: ''Surrey Police are trying to play down all of this, but the moment they say there is a problem with mindset, that sparks concern in my mind.

''If they haven't followed national guidelines, if they tried to put stories out in the media, it all stinks again.

''The whole million-pound investigation has been shown to be a farce.''