Fifteen paratroopers who contracted malaria while serving in Sierra Leone are suing the Ministry of Defence. They argue that they weren't given the anti-malaria drug Mefloquine early enough for it to have been fully effective by the time they arrived in the African state.

The MoD denies liability in all but one case, where a soldier was sent on an "administrative task" when the tablets were handed out.

The ministry has recieved the dubious honour of a medal for its "services to censorship" at the inaugural Index on Censorship awards.