VETERANS of the 1950s Suez Canal campaign are still waiting for a decision on whether their efforts should be acknowledged with medals.

The Government had ruled that a decision taken within five years of the end of the campaign not to award the General Service Medal should stand, but Junior Defence Minister, Dr Lewis Moonie, decided there are exceptional circumstances after hearing appeals from MPs and veterans.

A sub-group of the Honours and Decorations Committee, chaired by General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank was set up and veterans hope he will make a decision in time for Remembrance Day so that they will be allowed to wear the medals during the parade.

The Suez crisis began when Egypt abolished a treaty on British troop numbers in the Canal Zone. Thousands of British soldiers were sent to keep the canal open.

Personal accounts of Suez veterans can be seen on BBC2 on September 12 as part of a programme about the operation and the troops involved in the action.

The programme was originally planned to be shown only in the south of England, but pressure from veterans in this region has encouraged the BBC to air the programme here also.

Charles Golder, aged 74, of Green Meadows, Westhoughton, who served in anti-terrorist operations, said that their campaign was looking more hopeful and that veterans have waited for a long time to get recognition of their work by being awarded the medal.