A FAMILY'S heartache continues after an inquest into the death of a former soldier in Iraq was delayed.

Darren Birch (30), from Bury, suffered fatal head injuries after the armoured vehicle he was travelling in collided with a water tanker just days before he was due to return home.

An inquest into his death was adjourned by Bury coroner Simon Nelson on Tuesday after it was revealed the driver of the water tanker had fled the scene and has not been traced.

At the family's request, Mr Nelson said he would write to the company Darren was working for in Iraq and also Bury North MP David Chaytor to try and request further information from the Foreign Office in Iraq.

Darren, who was due to get married later this year in Mauritius, had joined the Household Cavalry in London after leaving Derby High School.

A trained PE instructor, he decided to leave the Life Guards three years prior to his death in December 2005 and had been working for London-based security and risk management firm Aegis for 12 months. His job was to protect workers helping to rebuild Iraq, such as architects and engineers.

On the morning of Wednesday, December 28, Darren was a passenger in the last truck of a three-vehicle convoy.

A water tanker immediately in front of Darren's vehicle pulled over to the inside lane as if to let the truck pass but suddenly swerved to the left and cut right across the truck's path.

The driver of the truck, Nicholas Manley, said: "The tanker started to pull into the right which they do when there is a convoy. It appeared to be no threat at all. Without warning the tanker pulled to the left so I maneouvered left to try and pass it. It became obvious then that he meant to cross the carriageway. The tanker took up three lanes and I applied the brakes."

The right side of the vehicle, where Darren was sitting in the front passenger seat, sustained the most damage and US soldiers helped to pull Darren free from the wreckage.

He was airlifted to Baghdad Central Hospital where he died from severe head injuries.

Witnesses to the accident said they saw the tanker driver survey the scene, and then get back in and drive away.

He then asked a local if he could leave the trailer part of his vehicle in a side street and drove off.

The registration plate of the tanker was left at the scene, but the driver has not been traced by the authorities.

An inquiry was carried out by Aegis in Baghdad which concluded that the incident had been caused directly by the actions of the Iraqi tanker driver, whose driving was described as "suicidal".

Mr Nelson said: "In my view, had the incident occured in this country there would have been a criminal inquiry with very serious criminal charges considered. I feel very unhappy recording what might ordinarily be a verdict of accidental death."

Mr Nelson said the only verdict available to him was an open one and he agreed to delay closing the inquest until he had sought further information.

Speaking after the inquest, Darren's family, including his mum, Pamela and sister Deborah Turbill, said: "We were expecting some form of closure today. It has been eight months since Darren died. We feel there are still questions that remain unanswered."

Chief executive of Aegis, Lt-Col Tim Spicer OBE, said: "Aegis carried out a full Board of Inquiry into this tragic incident and has supplied the Coroner with all relevant details and paperwork. Aegis has no investigative powers in Iraq. This is a matter for the Iraqi authorities."