MILITARY veterans who took part in nuclear weapons tests have offered to settle their legal claims with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) through a special tribunal following attempts to access their “illegally withheld” medical records.

Some of the claimants said they have had cancer, blood disorders and lost children, while their descendants have spoken of being born with obvious disabilities.

According to the MoD, more than 20,000 military personnel were present at the British nuclear weapon tests between 1952 and 1967 in Australia and the South Pacific.