The father of a young serviceman killed by "friendly fire" during the Gulf War has backed calls for more protection for UK troops.

Richard Gillespie, 19, of Tyneside, a member of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was killed along with eight other British soldiers during a United States air strike.

The soldiers were in their Warrior armoured vehicles west of Kuwait when they were attacked by US warplanes.

Mr Gillespie's father Mel said he was "disgusted" the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had still not developed a safe system to protect the armed forces.

Identification risk

He said: "You would think with the technology available today a friend-or-foe system would be child's play for the MoD.

"These young men expect to face guns and bombs, but it is something entirely different to have to worry about your allies coming at you from behind."

Mr Gillespies' son died alongside fellow north-east soldiers Kevin Leech, 20 and Peter Atkinson, 19, during the friendly fire incident in 1991.

Mr Gillespie joined MPs in rounding on the MoD for failing to protect British soldiers from such tragedies.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee in a report on Wednesday said that more than a decade after the nine British soldiers were killed the MoD still did not have a full "combat identification" capability.