The family of a female soldier who died at an army base where three other soldiers were found dead are calling for a public inquiry.

The body of 18-year-old Private Cheryl James, from Llangollen, was found in 1995 lying in woodland outside the Royal Logistics Corps HQ in Deepcut, Surrey, with a single bullet hole in her head.

An inquest into her death recorded an open verdict.

If four young people die at the same site of gunshot wounds, then there have to be questions

Des James

Three other soldiers have also died at the garrison over the last seven years.

Geoff Gray - the father of one of them also called Geoff Gray - said: "I think there must be a link - to have four deaths in such a small area is too much of a coincidence.

"There is something sinister going on.

"I think the initial inquiries into the deaths of Sean Benton, Cheryl James and my son were all based on assumption not on fact. "I think there is a killer within Deepcut, but I am not 100% he is still there."

In the same year as Ms James died, 20-year-old Sean Benton from Hastings, was found dead with five gunshot wounds - a suicide verdict was recorded.

'Gunshot wounds'

And over the past two years, two more soldiers have been discovered - 17-year-old Private Geoff Gray, in November 2001, and James Collinson, 17, from Perth in March 2002.

Separate inquests recorded open verdicts in both cases.

Surrey Police are now re-investigating the two most recent deaths, but have not reopened the case of Cheryl James.

But her parents said they have been told that there could be a fresh investigation if new evidence emerges in two other inquiries.

"If four young people die at the same site of gunshot wounds, then there have to be questions," said Cheryl's father, Des.

Private Collinson had been in upbeat mood, according to his parents

"Maybe all four did take their own lives. If that's the case, then let's find out.

"If it turns out these boys have been injured by someone else, or there is a cause, then we would want Cheryl's case reopened and we would want to find out what happened."

Lembit Opik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire and leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, joined calls for an investigation.

He said: "No-one is saying that these deaths are connected but it is possible that a further look at all of them will uncover important information that could change the verdict on those deaths.

"It is in the public interest to find out what the truth is for sure."

Surrey Police will not comment on Cheryl James's case but the force said officers have traced and taken statements from a number of new witnesses.

Earlier this month, the BBC's Frontline: Scotland programme uncovered flaws in all four investigations, including a failure to carry out proper ballistic tests.

The families of Privates Collinson and Gray told the programme makers they believed their sons were murdered and could not accept they had taken their own lives.

Both soldiers had been on guard duty when the incidents happened, and Mr Collinson said his son was in good spirits when they spoke last.

"My gut feeling is that someone did murder my son," he said.