The family of a Canterbury-based soldier who died just hours after arriving in Iraq are reported to be suing the Ministry of Defence.

L Cpl Andrew Craw, 21, who was with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Howe Barracks, shot himself as he tried to cock a new light machine gun on the firing range in January, 2004.

The inquest into his death heard that L Cpl Craw had just three hours of sleep after arriving in Basra before the training exercise began.

The coroner gave a narrative verdict and criticised the Army for "serious failures."

Soldiers with L Cpl Craw say they saw his weapon repeatedly jam. It was thought that he might have believed the gun was not loaded when he tried to kick it into the cock position.

But the gun went off and the bullet passed through his hand into his head.

An investigation in his death found that L Cpl Craw was trying to dislodge a jammed bullet but his party did not have oil for their guns to stop them jamming or manuals on how to operate them.

L Cpl Craw's parents, James and Ray Craw, of Clackmannanshire, Scotland, are now reported to be suing the Ministry of Defence over their son's death.