Birmingham pub bombings: Fresh inquests to be held into deaths of 21 people

The families of those killed say the British state knew beforehand about the suspected IRA attack

There have already been several review hearings into the 1974 bombings (PA)

Fresh inquests will be held into the deaths of 21 people in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings after "significant" new information emerged about the incident, a coroner has announced.

The families of some of those killed in the double bombing say the British state had knowledge of the attacks, planned by the IRA, before they were carried out.

Louise Hunt, the senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said the decision to hold fresh inquests was made after the families put forward their claims in a series of recent review hearings.

Setting out her ruling, Ms Hunt said there was evidence of two tip-offs to the police before and on the day of the attack, which were not followed up.

They included an overheard comment made by men linked to the IRA that "Birmingham would be hit next week".

A witness reported the comment to police on 10 November but, Ms Hunt said, there was "no indication that the police took any active steps in response to it".

The bombings, which injured 182 people, are widely accepted to have been the work of the Provisional IRA, with the terrorist group's former intelligence director, Kieran Conway, recently describing the attacks as "an absolute disaster".

A botched investigation by West Midlands Police later led to a group of men, known now as the Birmingham Six, being wrongly jailed for the crime.

Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker spent more than 15 years in jail before their convictions were quashed at the Court of Appeal in 1991. They collectively received millions of pounds of compensation.

Speaking outside court, Mr Hill welcomed the decision to hold new inquests. He said: "I've known the truth all along. It's about time the British public knew the truth."

Mr Hill told reporters he was "sceptical" the truth would actually emerge, adding: "Birmingham police couldn't spell the word truth. They're rotten."

Julie Hambleton, the leader of the Justice4the21 campaign which has called for new inquests, spoke before the TV cameras outside court after the decision was announced.

Her older sister, Maxine Hambleton, then 18, was one of the victims of a blast which ripped through the underground Tavern in the Town pub, minutes after a bomb destroyed the nearby Mulberry Bush pub at the base of the city centre Rotunda building.

She welcomed the decision, saying it was "way beyond our expectations" as she urged the Government to ensure victims' families were given legal aid.

She added: "All we want is to be heard so we can get the truth, justice and accountability."