MICHAEL HAMBLETON reports on a ex-serviceman's disgust at this week's decision by the European Court of Human Rights not to back claims for compensation for two veterans of 1950s nuclear tests...

A veteran of 1950s nuclear tests, who watched the blast at close quarters in the Pacific, believes troops were used as human guinea pigs.

Father-of-two Mike Barlow, of Baker Street, Aston Tirrold, near Didcot, still lives in fear of contracting leukaemia or cancer after witnessing what he says were six or eight tests from about seven miles away.

Mr Barlow was appalled at this week's decision by the European Court of Human Rights not to back claims for compensation by two veterans.

Kenneth McGinley, 60, of Paisley, and Edward Egan, 59, from Glasgow, had taken their test cases to Stras- bourg after they were refused war pensions.

The court rulings were seen as a blow for thousands of former servicemen and civilian workers who claim they were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation from the tests on Christmas Island in 1957 and 1958. Mr McGinley and Mr Egan were among about 22,000 servicemen and about 1,000 civilians who witnessed the explosion of an eight-megaton nuclear bomb in 1957.

At the time, Mr Barlow was doing part of his National Service with the Royal Engineers on the island - but has so far escaped ill-health. "However, I do occasionally have problems with lumps on my chest which worry me, and many people I served with have contracted cancer or died from the disease," he said.

"We stood on barren ground on the atoll with no protection to watch the tests. I am sure we were used has guinea pigs so that scientists could monitor the long-term effects."

Mr Barlow, who has followed the war veterans' long-running campaign through the courts by reading newspaper reports, said: "I am disgusted and appalled that the European Court appears to have thrown the cases out on technicalities."

HE SAW BONES OF HIS HANDS DURING BLAST As a young sapper doing his National Service with the Royal Engineers on Christmas Island in 1957, Mike Barlow said he recalled standing barely seven miles from where an eight-megaton nuclear bomb was to be dropped.

Along with 1,000 other troops, he listened to the final countdown.

"Just before the blast, we were told to turn away and close our eyes, covering our eyes with our hands," he said.

"We all crouched down. When the blast happened, I remember seeing the skeleton of my hands through closed eyes.

"Over the loud speaker they counted to about six and said we could turn round again and look at the ball of fire as it rose over the palm trees - so close it looked as though you could touch it. "It was orange, red, black - the force of the blast was sucking up the palm trees." Mr Barlow added: "It was unbelievable. It was impossible to describe."

Altogether, Mr Barlow witnessed seven or eight of the nuclear tests in the Pacific in the 1950s.

He said despite television documentaries and newspaper reports, most people still did not realise the primitive conditions facing thousands of servicemen and civilians who witnessed the tests on the Island.

"We stood on the barren atoll without any protection when the bombs were dropped.

"Just imagine it was being dropped on Didcot and we were standing just beyond Wallingford to watch.

"We were not even issued with dark glasses.

"After each blast we were given a day off when we went back to our tents."

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