Gulf War veterans in Bradford could benefit from a landmark ruling which saw a fellow soldier win a case for depleted uranium poisoning during the 1991 Iraqi conflict.

Kenny Duncan, of Clackmananshire, Scotland, was awarded the first war pension for the effects of depleted uranium (DU) after he claimed he inhaled the dust from burned-out Iraqi tanks.

But Bradford war veterans said they were disappointed that the Legal Services Commission (LSC) had also decided to review whether it would continue to fund a multi-million-pound legal battle for compensation for Gulf war syndrome amid fears there was not enough scientific evidence to prove the case in court.

An LSC spokesman said: "We anticipate reaching a decision on the future public funding of this case in the next two to three weeks.

A spokesman for the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, which is bringing the action, has also complained that it had not been notified by the LSC that the case was to be reviewed.

A Pensions Appeal Tribunal in Scotland ruled in favour of Mr Duncan after his illnesses were attributed to DU poisoning.

Mr Duncan's three children, born after the Gulf War, all suffer from physical health

problems.

Veterans of the conflict believe that DU may be a factor in Gulf War Syndrome, the cluster of illnesses which has ruined the health of thousands of them.

Pudsey veteran Frank Clarkson, 45, one of 50 Gulf War veterans believed to live in the district, claims he suffers from Gulf War Syndrome.

He welcomed the ruling into Mr Duncan's case but said he was "lost for words" that the Gulf War syndrome compensation case could collapse.

"Again it seems that the Government just totally ignore us. Just as it seems we're moving forward it all gets thrown back in your face," he said.

"I haven't even been awarded a war pension yet, but I now plan to speak to my solicitor about including this new ruling as part of my case."

Another veteran, Mark Williams, 39, of Bierley, Bradford, said: "I have suffered greatly and whether that was through DU dust or not I don't know, because I haven't got the funds to pay for a solicitor or for a test to find out."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that until it had received the outcome of Mr Duncan's hearing in writing, it would be unable to comment on the individual case.