A SOLDIER horrifically injured in a "friendly fire" incident Iraq in which two of his colleagues were killed is waging a battle for compensation with the Government.

Trooper Andy Julien, from Whitefield, was travelling in a Challenger tank when it was attacked close to Basra in May last year. Two of his colleagues were killed.

Andy, now aged 19, was dragged from the burning wreckage with both legs broken, a broken arm and a head injury. It was feared he would not survive.

Little more than a year later, Andy still bears the scars. He has regained full sight in his right eye but has blurred vision in the other and walks with a severe limp. He may never recover emotionally.

Now, the gunner with the Queen's Royal Lancers and his parents are pushing for a change in the law to allow compensation for battlefield soldiers.

Under current regulations, injuries sustained in a war zone are exempt from compensations claims, including those from friendly fire.

His mum, Avis, has accused the Ministry of Defence of abandoning her son. She said: "We never wanted Andy to join the Army in the first place and never agreed with the war. But somehow it would have been easier to accept Andy's injuries if they had been sustained as a result of enemy fire.

"We are very angry and bitter that our son's injuries were caused unnecessarily by a British tank.

"Yet because he was in a war zone, he will not get any compensation for his injuries. The fact that it was one of his own side that ended his Army career doesn't seem to make any difference.

"I feel the Army has abandoned my son. When he came out of hospital they just dropped him, like he didn't exist any more."

The Juliens have now instructed Manchester solicitor Andrew Morton, from Pannone and Partners, to pursue a change in the law to compensate "friendly fire" victims. He has written to the MoD questioning their policy.

He said: "Their response is that they will not make a compensation payment to Andy without further legal action. That leads to a political question about how the MoD and the Government want to treat 'friendly fire' victims."

An Army Board of Inquiry has now started into the incident and the MoD is refusing to comment until it is completed.

Meanwhile, Andy is recovering at his family home in Balmoral Avenue. The former Philips High School pupil is still receiving his full military pay but is unlikely to be able to continue his career and will have to rely solely on a war pension.

Avis said: "Andy put his heart and soul into his brief Army career. It was his life and we always hoped and prayed that the Army would take care of him.

"Before this happened he was a fit, energetic popular boy, who loved sport. He was always laughing, joking and happy but now it's rare to get a smile out of him. He doesn't seem to care much about himself.

"He wants to stay in the Army, but is now beginning to accept that his injuries will probably end his career. As a family we still cannot bring ourselves to think about what the future holds."

Andy's fight for changes in the law is being supported by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Larpent, who lost nine of his soldiers in a friendly fire incident involving American forces in the 1991 Gulf War.

He said: "A British coroner's court even returned a verdict that they had been unlawfully killed. In these circumstances there is a legal argument that compensation should be paid.

"It is scandalous that Trooper Julien is unable to get compensation."