SAS selection deaths: inquest delayed until 2015

Cpl James Dunsby, L/Cpl Edward Maher and L/Cpl Craig Roberts took part in the exercise last year

An inquest into the deaths of three soldiers who collapsed on an SAS training exercise in the Brecon Beacons has been delayed until 2015.

L/Cpl Craig Roberts, 24, of Penrhyn Bay, Conwy, and L/Cpl Edward Maher, 31, died on 13 July 2013. Cpl James Dunsby, from Bath, died later in hospital.

The inquest was due to start in Solihull, West Midlands, in October.

It will now be held after an appeal against a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision not to bring charges.

The CPS decided not to bring gross negligence manslaughter charges in July, a decision families of two of the soldiers have lodged appeals about under a Victims Right to Review scheme.

Birmingham and Solihull senior coroner Louise Hunt has previously said that, as an inquest is not a criminal hearing, the CPS review must be dealt with before an inquest is held to avoid prejudicing any possible future criminal trial.

The soldiers, who died from overheating, had been taking part in a 40-mile (64km) hike on Pen y Fan as part of a four-week trial for the Territorial Army's SAS reservists.

The exercise took part on one of the hottest days of the year when temperatures reached 29.5C (85F).

The inquest is expected to last for up to three weeks.