Dozens of Gulf War veterans in Bradford are reliving their nightmares as troops going to Iraq are again being injected with cocktails of drugs, they claim.

The National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, who believe there are about 50 veterans in the Bradford area, say that troops are also unable to get insurance for a conflict in Iraq, which could cause them major problems in the future.

Those who claim to have suffered illnesses sparked by the Gulf War of 1991 face a lonely battle to make the Government accept that Gulf War Syndrome exists, which it refuses to do.

The association claims that 560 veterans of the previous Gulf War have died, through illness, suicide and car crashes due to flashbacks and loss of concentration.

Illnesses suffered include osteoporosis, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, arthritis and bowel complaints.

There are so many in Bradford that specialist physician Dr Daffyd Jones, based in Llandudno, holds a monthly clinic in the city.

He is the country's foremost expert on conflict disorders.

"The 430 Gulf veterans I have examined are quite different to other traumatised servicemen," he said.

"They are ill in a different way. They despair to be told they have no illness and it is all in the mind.

"More people are coming to me than ever before now, but the Government still doesn't accept the injections have caused any harm. Those who had the injection but never went to the Gulf are also ill in the same way."

According to Jim Moore, secretary of the association, troops were ordered to buy insurance in 1991. But once they arrived in the desert, they were told their insurance was invalid for "acts of war".

Pudsey veteran Frank Clarkson, 45, said he can no longer work as an electrical appliance installer.

He was given many injections before the war and took nerve agent preventative tablets every eight hours while in the desert.

"I felt poorly, had slow thought-processes, lethargy," he said. "Now it is worse, I have difficulty getting upstairs, have irritable bowel syndrome and aching joints and terrible short-term memory. My balance is shot.

"I spent 18 years in the army. It is appalling they treated me like this. I was prepared to die for my country but now I am sick and they treat me like a leper. I feel sorry for the lads going out there now."

Mr Clarkson's case is among 500 in a group court action against the Ministry of Defence, due up in court in the next few weeks.

Fellow veteran Mark Williams, 38, of Bierley, can only work half-days as a manager of a cash and carry.

Despite having several scans, doctors don't know the cause of scarring spots on his brain.

"I have memory loss, headaches, chest and back pains and it has got worse over the years," said Mr Williams, a father of two.

"I can't work as an HGV driver now.

"The cocktails of drugs were never tested together, only separately. I don't agree with giving the injections again.

"I feel really let down, nobody is helping me."

The MoD accepts that the servicemen are ill, but do not accept there is a Gulf War syndrome.

A spokesman said: "Nerve agent tablets are only given as an emergency measure. We have better medical records now and give jabs against anthrax as a routine vaccination."

But he confirmed today that about half of the 18,000 troops sent to the Gulf have refused the anthrax jab, although figures were from last September, so the situation could have changed.

Two announcements of extra troops have been made since then.

The spokesman denied that the reason for refusal was fear of Gulf War Syndrome but for "a variety of reasons".

No regular regiments are based in West Yorkshire, although soldiers may have their home addresses here, but an estimated 35 Territorial Army soldiers from the county have been sent to the Gulf.

The National Gulf Veterans and Families Association have a 24-hour helpline on (01482) 808730.